FINGERPOSTS 

TO 

CHILD  REN  S 
READING 


WALTER 


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FINGERPOSTS 

TO 

CHILDREN'S    READING 


BY 

WALTER  TAYLOR  FIELD 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 

1907 


COPTRIGHT 

A.  C.  McCldrq  &  Co. 
1907 

Published  March  9, 1907 


K.R.  DONNELLEY  &  SONS  COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


I  o37 

PREFACE 

THESE  essays  on  various  phases  of  chil- 
dren 's  reading  are  addressed  to  parents 
and  teachers,  librarians,  Sunday-school  work- 
ers,—  all  who  are  concerned  with  the  education 
of  the  child  and  who  are  interested  in  the  en- 
largement and  enrichment  of  his  life. 

No  one  who  knows  and  loves  children  can 
fail  to  appreciate  the  influence  which  noble 
thoughts  and  high  ideals  exercise  upon  the 
unfolding  character, —  and  no  one  who  knows 
good  literature  can  fail  to  realize  the  wealth 
of  joj^a^^  beauty  which  it  holds  in  store  for 
the  young. 

The  problem  is  to  introduce  the  child  to  the 
great  writers,  through  their  simpler  works  — 
letting  him  approach  them  at  the  level  of  his 
own  intelligence  and  grow  with  them,  assimilat- 
ing more  and  more  as  his  years  increase,  until 
he  has  reached  the  fulness  of  appreciation 
which  marks  the  cultured  man  orjwroman. 
/To  awaken  a  genuine  love  for  good  books  is 
to  insure  the  development  of  both  the  aesthetic. 


PREFACE 

and  the^msialjaatures..  If  the  present  volume 
shall  lead  indirectly  to  such  an  awakening  in 
the  heart  of  any  child,  it  will  not  have  been 
written  in  vain. 

The  substance  of  several  of  the  chapters 
has  already  appeared  in  "The  Dial"  and 
in  "  The  Congregationalist."  Parts  of  Chap- 
ters I  and  II,  originally  published  in  "The 
Dial,"  were  afterwards  reprinted  in  pamphlet 
form  by  Messrs.  Ginn  and  Company  under 
the  title,  "Children's  Books:  their  Selection 
and  their  Influence."  Acknowledgment  is 
made  to  the  publishers  of  the  above-named 
journals  for  permission  to  include  this  material 
in  the  present  volume;  also  to  Mr.  George  A. 
Plimpton  for  data  regarding  the  history  of 
school  readers  in  America.  Dr.  R.  R.  Reeder  's 
admirable  paper  on  "The  Development  of 
School  Reading  Books,"  and  Mr.  W,  H.  Whit- 
more 's  introduction  to  the  reprint  of  Isaiah 
Thomas's  edition  of  Mother  Goose,  have  fur- 
nished suggestions  for  the  historical  portions 

of  the  work. 

W.  T.  F. 

Chicago,  January  1,  1907. 


VI 


CONTENTS 

CHAFTEB  PAGE 

I.   The  Influence  of  Books     ...  9 

II.   Reading  in  the  Home      ....  25 

III.   A  List  of  Books  for  Home  Reading  37 

'tIV.   Reading  in  the  School  ....  67.^ 

-  V.   Supplementary  Reading  ....  81 

VI.   The  School  Library 120 

Vn.   The  Public  Library   .     .     .     .     .  133 

Vin.   The  Sunday-school  Library     .     .  144 
IX.   The    Illustrating    of  Children's 

Books 173 

X.   Mother  Goose 193 

APPENDIX 

Lists  of  Books  for  School  and  Sunday^- 

school  Libraries 227 


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FINGERPOSTS 
TO  CHILDREN'S  READING 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

HAWTHORNE,  in  his  story  of  "The. 
Great  Stone  Face,"  gives  us  the  picture 
of  a  boy  growing  up  under  the  influence  of  a 
high  ideal.  The  granite  profile  on  the  moun- 
tain side,  which  he  sees  each  morning  from 
his  cottage  door,  expresses  to  him  what  is  best 
in  human  character.  He  comes  to  love  it, 
and  loving  it,  grows  to  be  like  it.  Such  is  al- 
ways the  result  of  companionship  with  the  great 
and  good;  and  the  story  with  its  underlying 
allegory  is  an  incentive  not  only  to  the  young, 
to  seek  that  which  is  noble,  but  to  those  who 
are  responsible  for  the  training  of  the  young, 
to  see  that  a  right  environment  is  provided  for 
their  charges. 

We  spend  much  time  in  the  search  for  suit- 
able associates  for  our  boys  and  girls.     None  of 
9 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

our  neighbors'  children  seem  to  us  quite  good 
enough.  One  is  poHte  but  untruthful,  another 
good-natured  but  a  rowdy,  still  another  has 
no  visible  virtue,  but  a  generous  allotment  of 
original  sin.  Perhaps  the  neighbors  are  equal- 
ly critical  regarding  our  children.  We  hope 
not,  but  we  know  that  the  ideal  youth  does 
not  flourish  on  our  street,  and  we  have  learned 
with  sorrow  that  our  boys  and  girls  acquire 
from  their  playmates  vices  oftener  than  virtues. 
Yet  there  is  a  world  into  which  children  may 
enter  and  find  noble  companionship.  It  is 
the  world  of  books.  Let  your  boy  escape  for 
a  time  from  the  meanness  of  the  boy  across 
the  street,  and  let  him  roam  the  woods  with 
Hiawatha,  sail  the  seas  with  Sindbad,  build 
stockades  with  Crusoe,  fight  dragons  with 
Jason,  joust  with  Galahad;  let  him  play  at 
quoits  with  Odysseus,  and  at  football  with  Tom 
Brown.  These  are  playmates  who  will  never 
quarrel  with  him  nor  bully  him,  but  from 
whom  he  will  learn  to  be  brave,  self-reHant, 
manly,  quick  to  do  for  others,  and  set  with  his 
face  toward  the  light.  "  Tell  me  what  company 
thou  keepest  and  I  will  tell  thee  what  thou  art," 
says  the  old  Spanish  proverb.  The  child  who 
10 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

lives    on   terms  of  intimacy  with  such  heroes 
as  these  cannot  fail  to  be  strong  and  true. 

This  does  not  mean  that  children  should  be 
raised  under  glass.  They  must  be  out  in  the 
world  and  grow  up  among  their  fellows.  Free- 
"dom  gives  them  strength  and  self-reliance; 
but  at  the  age  when  impressions  are  so  quickly 
made, —  and  so  indelibly, —  the  child  needs 
an  antidote  for  the  poison  of  bad  companion- 
ship, and  this  antidote  is  to  be  found  within 
the  covers  of  a  good  story-book.  To  the  child 
a  story  is  a  very  real  thing.  We  often  forget 
how  real  it  is.  Did  you  never  in  your  child- 
hood take  in  your  hand  your  little  wooden  sword 
and  stride  manfully  out  into  the  pasture,  lay- 
ing right  and  left  among  the  mullein  stalks, 
calling  yourself  Richard  of  the  Lion  Heart, 
and  come  back,  breathless,  with  the  blood 
tingling  in  your  cheeks  and  your  brain  on  fire 
with  an  exultation  which  you  would  give 
worlds  to  feel  again  ?  Did  you  never  seize  a 
clothes-pole  for  a  lance  and  the  cover  of  a  bar- 
rel for  a  shield,  and  go  out  before  breakfast 
to  rescue  an  imprisoned  princess?  And  did 
you  not  scorn  all  meanness, —  for  an  hour  at 
least, —  until  you  had  forgotten  Richard  and 
11 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

the  Knight  of  the  Red  Cross  and  the  Princess, 
and  all  that,  and  had  descended  to  trading  a 
jack-knife  with  the  boy  in  the  next  house  ?  Ah, 
these  book  heroes  have  done  more  to  touch 
the  sense  of  honor  in  children  than  father's 
talks  or  mother's  entreaties.  You  cannot 
afford  to  let  your  boys  and  girls  grow  up  with- 
out their  friendship. 

The  child  is  a  hero-worshipper,  and  if  you 
do  not  give  him  a  true  hero,  lie  will  set  up  in 
the  sanctuary  of  his  heart  a  tawdry  imitation 
of  one.  He  will  worship  and  imitate  in  a  small 
way  the  bully  of  his  school,  because  the  bully 
is  strong  and  aggressive ;  but  let  him  once  know 
King  Arthur  and  the  Chevalier  Bayard,  and 
he  will  lose  admiration  for  every  sort  soever 
of  bully  from  that  time  forth.  Cl  know  a  boy 
who  will  take  a  whipping  with  resignation, 
and  a  serious  talk  with  only  a  passing  show  of 
penitence,  but  if  his  mother  takes  from  a  wood- 
en shield  hanging  in  his  room  a  Uttle  knot  of 
blue  ribbon  which  has  been  placed  there  for 
some  previous  worthy  action,  he  is  at  once 
humbled  and  remorseful, —  with  a  remorse 
which  generally  lasts  until  he  has  won  the  right  \ 
to  have  the  token  back  again. 
12 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

The  influence  of  good  books  is  felt  along 
two  lines,  the  aesthetic  and  the  moral,  affect- 
ing the  taste  and  the  character,  but  these  two 
lines  run  parallel,  and  are  not  far  apart.  If 
we  can  get  our  eyes  open  to  the  beautiful 
and  noble  pictures  which  the  great  writers  have 
painted  for  us,  and  our  ears  attuned  to  the 
music  of  their  words,  we  shall,  I  think,  not 
only  have  broadened  our  appreciations,  but 
by  a  sort  of  spiritual  induction  have  deepened 
our  sympathies  as  well.  Buffon's  maxim, 
"Le  style  est  I'homme  m^me,"  simply  means 
that  taste  and  character  are  not  easily  sepa- 
rable. 

Some  believe  that,  hterary  taste  is  a  gift  of 
the  gods  which  the  fortunate  child  receives 
at  birth.  This  is  only  partly  true.  It  is  true 
just  so  far  as  that  generations  of  culture  may 
be  expected  to  produce  in  the  child  an  apti- 
tude which  under  favorable  conditions  will 
develop  into  taste;  but  the  corollary  is  not 
true,  that  the  child  who  is  bom  without  this 
gift  is.  doomed  to  barbarism.  He  simply  must 
work  harder,  and  will  be  in  the  end  stronger 
for  the  effort.  Dr.  Holmes  has  somewhere 
observed  that  a  child 's  culture  begins  with  his 
13 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

grandfather.  Doubtless  the  grandfather  is  a 
factor,  but  it  may  be  asked  whether,  after  all, 
the  children  of  cultured  homes  do  not  derive 
their  literary  appreciations  quite  as  much  from 
their  early  environment  as  from  their  blood. 
f  If  during  the  first  twelve  years  of  a  child's 
life  he  has  been  made  familiar  with  the  best 
literature  that  is  adapted  to  his  widening  range 
of  thought,  there  need  be  no  fear  that  he  will 
ever  read  unworthy  books.  One  who  has  not 
been  thus  trained,  however,  finds  poison  in  the 
printed  page  as  well  as  healing.  There  are 
the  news-stands,  reeking  with  sensational  boy- 
bandit  stories  and  tales  of  the  slums  and  of  the 
brothel.  The  untrained  child  wants  some- 
thing to  read,  and  it  must  be  exciting.  He 
knows  no  difference  in  books.  He  does  not 
appreciate  the  gulf  that  lies  between  a  noble 
tale  and  a  vile  one,  or  between  the  work  of  a 
master  and  the  lucubrations  of  a  penny-a-Uner. 
All  he  wants  is  action  and  excitement,  and 
here  it  is  with  gaudy  cover  and  flaring  illustra- 
tions, sold  at  a  price  so  low  as  to  be  easily 
within  his  reach.  Bowery  toughs  and  plever 
cracksmen  are  the  heroes  of  these  tales.  Care- 
fully planned  details  of  robberies  and  hold-ups 
14 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

instruct  the  youth  how  to  go  about  the  nefarious 
business,  and  inspire  a  wish  to  emulate  the 
robbers,  because  they  are  bold  and  daring  and 
always  outwit  the  police. 

Mr.  L.  Bodine,  Superintendent  of  Compul- 
sory Education    in    Chicago,  handed  me  re- 
cently a  dozen  or  more  books  which  had  been 
taken  from  some  of  the  lawless  youths  under 
his  charge.    The  most  pretentious  of  the  lot 
is  a  volume  entitled,  "Tracy,   the  Bandit," 
which  may  have    cost   as  much  as  twenty- 
five    cents.      Most   of    the   others,   however, 
are  published  in   "nickel   hbraries,"  one   is- 
sue, with  a  complete  story,  appearing  every  j 
week,— "The  Wild  West  Weekly,"  " Buffalo  ( 
Bill     Stories,"     "Diamond    Dick    Weekly,"  / 
"Jesse  James  Stories,"  "  James  Boys'  Weekly,"  i 
and  so  on  ad  nauseam.     "The  James  Boys'   ! 
Weekly"  consisted,  the  last  time  I  saw  it,  of  , 
ninety-six    numbers,    "written    by    the    weU-  < 
known  and  popular  author,  D.  W.  Stevens." 
At  the  rate  of  one  new  story  each  week,  this 
"well-known  and  popular  author"  has  before 
now  probably  produced  about  two  hundred, — 
and  Heaven  knows  when  he  will  stop.     I  have 
no  wish  to  advertise  him.    Perhaps  among 
15 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

his  particular  constituency  of  readers  he  has 

quite  fame  enough  already. 

I      In  Mr.  Bodine's  office  is  a  drawer  full  of 

(revolvers,  dirks,  bowie-knives,  and  sand-bags 

/taken  from  boys  who  carried  them  to  school 

•^or  had  them  concealed  upon  their  persons.    To 

one  of  the  revolvers  is  attached  a  card,  which 

gives  its  record:   "Death  to  Solie  Cohen,  401 

W.  Taylor  St.,  shot  by  Abe  Abrams,  thirteen 

years  of  age,  while  playing  Jesse  James  in  Mrs. 

Cohen's  kitchen,  Jan.  4th,  1904." 

The  "car-bam  murder,"  in  which  a  gang 
of  young  ruffians  held  up  and  shot  the  cashier 
of  one  of  the  Chicago  street  railway  companies 
a  few  years  ago,  is  directly  traceable  to  the 
reading  of  these  "  nickel  hbrary  "  stories.  The 
leaders  of  the  youthful  gang  have  paid  the 
penalty  of  their  crime,  but  others  are  gi^o\^dng 
up  under  the  same  influences,  prepared  to 
contribute  to  the  same  result. 

Another  class  of  literature,  even  more  dan- 
gerous to  our  youth  than  "  hold-up  "  stories,  are 
translations  from  French  novels  of  the  demi- 
monde, and  shady  tales  of  New  York  by  night, 
dealing  in  the  most  insinuating  way  with  a  kind 
of  life  which  has  already  gained  too  much 
16 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

publicity  in  the  daily  press.  One  can  easily 
appreciate  the  baneful  influence  which  such 
literature  may  and  does  exert  upon  irrespon- 
sible boys  during  the  period  of  adolescence. 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  *'  faniily'J_neyre-„ 
^aper,  wij^  its  daily  record  of  murders,  suicides, 
indecencies,  and  crime  of  every  sort  ?  Is  this 
good  food  for  youth?  Its  apologists  tell  us 
that  it  is  the  mirror  of  the  world;  but  there  is  a 
part  of  the  world  into  whicE  we  do  not  care  to 
send  our  children,  and  which  we  do  not  wish 
to  have  brought  into  our  homes.  Unfortu- 
nately, it  is  from  this  part  that  the  news  with 
the  most  striking  headhnes  is  drawn. 

Though  newspapers  differ  in  their  moral 
character  as  the  men  behind  them  differ,  there 
are  some  which  have  become  active  agents  in 
the  propagation  of  crime.  We  may  keep  our 
own  children  from  them,  but  the  unguarded  and 
unprincipled  children  of  the  street  find  in  them 
plenty  to  arouse  their  worst  passions  and  to 
suggest  criminal  possibilities  for  their  own 
accomplishing.  The  exploitation  of  the  deeds 
of  criminals,  the  circumstantial  accounts  of 
their  acts  and  doings  while  in  jail  or  on  trial, 
their  pictures  in  various  attitudes,  and  the 
17 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

accounts  of  the  hysterical  homage  paid  to  them 
by  a  weak-minded  constituency  make  them 
heroes  in  the  eyes  of  the  unprincipled  youth. 

Newspapers  other  than  those  of  the  distinctly 
"yellow"  variety  are  guilty  in  a  less  degree  of 
the  same  practices;  and  as  long  as  papers  are 
published  with  the  idea  of  getting  the  largest 
possible  circulation,  we  shall  do  well  to  discour- 
age our  children  from  reading  them.  Chil- 
dren's weekly  newspapers,  of  which  "The 
Little  Chronicle"  is  perhaps  the  best  type, 
give  all  the  news  that  any  decent  child  will 
care  to  know. 

The  records  of  the  Chicago  police  depart- 
ment for  1905  show  that  of  all  persons  arrested 
on  criminal  charges  during  the  year,  twenty- 
two  per  cent  were  under  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  that  the  number  of  these  boys  and  girls 
arrested,  not  counting  "repeaters  "  {i.  e.,  second 
or  subsequent  arrests  of  the  same  person)  was 
14i897  in  one  year! 

The  police  records  of  the  city  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  for  the  same  year  (1905),  while  not  com- 
piled according  to  exactly  the  same  classifica- 
tion, show  a  proportion  of  juvenile  arrests 
quite  as  significant.  On  all  criminal  charges 
18 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

the  number  of  arrests  of  persons  under  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  was  eighteen  per  cent  of  the 
total  number;  for  house-breaking,  forty  per 
cent;  for  grand  larceny,  thirty-eight  per  cent; 
for  petit  larceny,  twenty-eight  per  cent;  for 
various  misdemeanors,  eleven  per  cent.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  more  serious  the 
oflFence,  the  larger  the  proportion  of  juvenile 
arrests.  This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  for 
minor  ojBFences  the  police  are  more  lenient  with 
children  than  with  adults,  and  do  not  as  often 
arrest  them,  proving  that  the  actual  proportion 
is  more  nearly  indicated  by  the  arrests  on 
serious  charges. 

/  How  much  of  this  juvenile  crime  is  due  to  the 
literature  of  the  news-stan^and  tHe  cigar-store  ?  ^ 
Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  work  of  the 
parental  and  reform  schools  and  with  the  police 
couHs  will  tell  you  that  no  other  agency,  unless 
it  be  association  with  criminals  themselves,  is 
responsible  for  so  large  a  part  of  it  as  are  the 
nickel  library,  the  obscene  novel,  and  the  story 
of  successful  crime.  As  to  the  yellow  news- 
paper, its  share  is  more  diflScult  to  determine, 
but  we  may  feel  sure  that  it  is  not  a  small  one. 
The  cruder  kind  of  criminal  literature  to 
19 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

which  reference  has  been  made  is  so  glaringly 
bad  that  it  does  not  often  reach  the  better 
class  of  boys  and  girls.  It  is  banished  from 
respectable  homes,  and  its  influence  is  con- 
fined for  the  most  part  to  those  unfortunate 
children  whose  parents  are  either  unspeakably 
careless  or  are  not  themselves  above  the  moral 
or  aesthetic  standard  of  these  pestilential  tales. 
The  only  hope  for  the  children  of  such  homes 
is  in  the  school.  To  the  decent  child  a  more 
dangerous  class  of  literature  is  that  in  which 
sensationalism  is  respectably  clothed.  The 
boys  in  such  romances  move  in  good  society, 
but  they  are  always  getting  into  the  most  impos- 
sible situations,  and  having  the  most  startUng 
adventures:  they  encounter  and  vanquish 
burglars;  they  rescue  little  girls  from  death  by 
fire  or  flood,  and  grow  up  to  marry  them; 
they  are  almost  killed  in  a  dozen  different 
ways,  but  in  the  last  chapter  always  overcome 
their  enemies,  escape  from  their  misfortunes, 
and  live  in  peace  and  prosperity.  The  girl 
heroines  are  always  precocious,  fall  in  love  at 
an  age  when  they  ought  to  be  playing  with  their 
dolls,  and  are  either  hoydenish  or  mawkishly 
sentimental.  These  stories  appear  in  reputable 
20 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

children's  magazines,  interspersed  with  items 
of  useful  information,  science,  history,  and 
biography.  The  story  is  inserted  to  make  the 
magazine  popular,  and  it  answers  its  purpose. 
In  the  family  of  an  acquaintance  of  mine,  three 
well-known  children's  periodicals  are  taken. 
Several  days  before  the  time  for  the  appearance 
of  each  issue,  the  children  are  in  a  fever  of  ex- 
citement ;  and  when  the  paper  at  last  appears, 
everything  is  dropped  until  the  progress  of  the 
hero  of  the  continued  story  is  ascertained.  In 
this  family  there  is  no  Ubrary  worthy  of  the 
name.  The  periodicals  supply  all  the  reading 
matter  for  which  the  children  care,  or  for  which 
they  have  time  after  their  school  duties  are  ful- 
filled. 

While  this  sugar-coated  sensationalism  is 
bad,  there  is  still  another  class  of  children's 
literature  which  is  quite  as  objectionable.  I 
refer  to  the  sentimental  stuff  which  is  written 
in  the  name  of  religion,  but  which  is  effective 
only  in  vitiating  the  taste,  weakening  the  intel- 
lect, and  giving  false  views  of  life.  It  appears 
notably  in  books  intended  for  Sunday  school 
consumption,  which,  happily,  the  best  Sunday 
schools  are  casting  out.  The  heroes  and 
21 


CHILDREN'S   READING 

heroines  are  pretematurally  good,  meek,  and 
spiritless.  They  die  young,  and  their  death- 
bed conversations  are  made  the  occasion  of  har- 
rowing the  feelings  of  the  tender-hearted  little 
readers  with  thoughts  of  the  brevity  of  Ufe  and 
the  necessity  of  being  always  prepared  for  the 
hereafter. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  significant  facts  of  mod- 
ern Ufe  that  a  surfeit  of  periodical  literature, 
both  juvenile  and  adult,  is  operating  against 
the  reading  of  books  and  the  forming  of  libra- 
ries. The  magazine  has  its  place,  but  it  also 
has  its  limitations;  and  we  should  lead  our 
children  to  understand  that,  after  all,  the  vital 
and  permanent  literature  is  that  preserved  for 
them  in  good  books.  Let  every  child  have  his 
little  bookcase  in  the  nursery  —  or  a  shelf  in 
the  library  which  he  may  call  his  own.  Let 
him  be  encouraged  to  read  good  books  and  to 
care  for  them.  He  will  then  come  to  feel  that 
friendship  with  them  which  is  the  greatest  joy 
of  the  intellectual  life.  A  good  book  presented 
to  a  child  on  each  succeeding  birthday  —  a 
book  chosen  wisely  with  respect  to  the  child's 
tastes  and  abilities,  but  of  sterling  worth  —  will 
soon  put  him  in  possession  of  a  library  which 
22 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  BOOKS 

will  be  a  lasting  source  of  strength  and  inspira- 
tion. It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  a  child  must 
be  continually  suppUed  with  fresh  reading  mat- 
ter —  that  a  book  once  read  is  finished.  In- 
deed, the  strong  intellects  of  history  are  those 
which  have  been  nourished  Th  childhood  upon 
a  few  good  books  —  read  and  re-read  until  the 
thought  and  style  became  a  part  of  the  reader's 
permanent  possession.  To-day  we  have  too 
many  books,  and  we  dissipate  the  intellectual 
force  of  our  children  as  well  as  of  ourselves  by 
trying  to  spread  it  over  too  wide  an  area.  We 
read,  and  we  give  our  boys  and  girls  to  read,  a 
great  many  books  which  are  neither  very  good 
nor  very  bad.  On  the  whole,  we  think  them 
quite  useful  and  instructive,  but  in  reading 
them  we  are  losing  the  opportunity  of  becoming 
thoroughly  grounded  in  a  knowledge  of  the 
world's  great  books.  Ruskin  has  said  the 
final  word  about  this  kind  of  reading: 

"Have  you  measured  and  mapped  out  this 
short  life  and  its  possibilities  ?  Do  you  know, 
if  you  read  this  that  you  cannot  read  that  — 
that  what  you  lose  to-day  you  cannot  gain  to- 
morrow? Will  you  go  and  gossip  with  your 
housemaid  or  your  stable-boy,  when  you  may 
23 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

talk  with  queens  and  kings  ?  .  .  .  This  eternal 
court  is  open  to  you  with  its  society  wide  as  the 
\  world,  multitudinous  as  its  days,  the  chosen 
j  and  the  mighty  of  every  place  and  time.  Into 
j  that  you  may  enter  always;  in  that  you  may 
I  take  fellowship  and  rank  according  to  your 
wish;  from  that,  once  entered  into  it,  you  can 
\  never  be  outcast  but  by  your  own  fault." 

\ 


a 


CHAPTER  n 

READING  IN  THE  HOME 

IT  is  in  the_home  that  the  child  forms  the 
most  permanent  elements  of  his  character. 
Here  his  familiarity  with  books  should  begin, 
and  here  he  should  get  his  literary  inspirations. 

The  baby's  first  book  will  naturally  be^a  picj;_ 
_turebook,_for  pictures  appeal  to  him  early,  and 
with  great  force.  His  interest  in  them  is  min- 
gled with  a  sort  of  wonder  as  to  just  what  they 
are,  for  the  picture  of  an  object  is  always  more 
or  less  confused  in  his  mind  with  the  object 
itself.  The  dog  on  the  floor  wags  his  tail  and 
barks;  the  dog  in  the  book  does  not;  otherwise 
they  are  the  same, —  so  he  pats  the  dog  in  the 
book,  and  lays  his  cheek  against  it,  and  is  quite 
content  in  its  companionship.  If  we  under- 
stood children  better,  we  should  realize  this 
vitality  which  pictures  have  for  them,  and 
should  be  more  careful  to  give  them  the  best. 

As  coIot  appeals  to  the  child  before  he  has 
much  notion   of  form,   his  first  picture-book 
should  be  colored,  and  as  his  ideas  of  form 
25 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

develop  slowly,  his  first  pictures  should  be  in  out- 
line, and  unencumbered  with  detail.  The  French 
illustrator,  Boutet  de  Monvel,  has  given  us  the 
ideal  pictures  for  young  children.  The  best 
and  most  characteristic  produced  in  this  coun- 
try are  probably  thos6  of  Jessie  Wilcox  Smith. 

Most  published  picture-books  are  spoiled  by 
the  doggerel  which  accompanies  the  pictures, 
and  which,  as  the  child  gets  older,  he  insists  on 
having  read  to  him.  Generally,  too,  the  pic- 
tures are  made  violently  grotesque,  under  the 
impression  that  young  children  demand  some- 
thing unusual.  Artists  sometimes  forget  that  to 
a  baby  a  normal  elephant  is  quite  as  unusual  an 
object  as  an  elephant  in  a  hat  and  a  pair  of 
trousers. 

One  of  the  picture-books  will  of  course  be  a 
copy  of  "Mother  Goose,"  and  the  parent  will 
repeat  to  the  little  one  the  old  jingles  that  have 
for  centuries  soothed  the  infant  world  to  sleep 
and  dried  its  tears.  Following  these  will  come 
the  classic  nursery  tales,  Cinderella,  Little  Red 
Riding  Hood,  The  Three  Bears,  Tom  Thumb, 
and  others  of  that  happy  fellowship, —  not  read 
out  of  a  book,  but  Jold  in  the  parent's  own 
words. 

26 


READING  IN  THE  HOME 

Almost  as  soon  as  the  child  can  talk,  and 
for  many  years  thereafter,  will  come  that  oft- 
repeated  cry,  "Tell  me  a  story," — to  which, 
unfortunately  many  of  us  reply  that  we  are  too 
busy,  and  suggest  to  the  small  suppliants  that 
they  go  away  and  play  and  don't  bother  mamma 
or  papa,  as  the  case  may  be;  for  mamma  has 
a  lovely  new  novel  to  read,  and  papa  is  absorbed 
in  the  evening  paper,  and  cannot  attend  to  such 
trifles  —  or  perhaps  cannot  think  of  a  story, 
as  his  literature  is  confined  for  the  most  part 
to  the  stock  market  and  politics. 

It  is  worth  while  to  make  some  sacrifice  of 
time  and  effort  in  order  to  tell  your  children 
good  stories.  Unless  one  is  a  genius  he  cannot 
launch  into  a  story  off-hand,  not  knowing  where 
he  is  coming  out,  and  produce  anything  worth 
listening  to, —  to  say  nothing  of  the  probability 
that  he  will  get  himself  hopelessly  entangled  in 
his  plot,  and  will  be  called  to  time  by  a  direct 
question  that  will  put  him  to  shame  and  show 
him  to  be  a  bungler.  Or,  unless  one  was  un- 
usually virtuous  in  his  youth,  he  cannot  confine 
his  range  of  subjects  to  what  he  did  when  he 
was  a  Httle  boy,  or  little  girl,  without  either 
falsifying  history  or  giving  the  children  hints 
27 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

that  will  be  more  entertaining  than  edifying. 
Plato  regarded  the  stories  repeated  to  children 
as  of  such  importance  that  he  would  have  none 
told  except  such  as  had  been  approved  by  cen- 
sors. We  have  all  known  parents  whose 
stories  to  their  little  ones  would  never  pass  that 
test.  If  the  parent  lacks  material,  let  him  read 
again  the  old  Greek  myths,  renew  his  acquaint- 
ance with  ancient  and  modem  history,  lose 
himself  once  more  in  the  "  Arabian  Nights  "  or 
the  legends  of  King  Arthur,  ponder  what  he 
has  read,  and  clothe  the  incidents  with  simple 
words  that  will  carry  easily  to  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  the  young  listeners.  No  one  can  read 
a  story  to  a  little  child  and  get  the  attention 
that  he  gains  by  telling  it. 

Perhaps  you  think  this  story-telling  business 
should  be  done  by  the  child's  teacher.  It  may 
be  that  she  is  doing  it,  sympathetically  and  with 
appreciation  of  what  the  stories  mean.  If  she 
is  a  good  teacher  she  certainly  is,  but  with  all 
her  telling  of  these  famous  tales,  she  cannot 
exhaust  them, —  and  then,  maybe  she  is  not 
telling  them  at  all.  Talk  with  your  child  about 
it.  Find  out  what  he  is  learning  in  school  or 
kindergarten,  and  supplement  the  teacher's 
28 


READING  IN  THE  HOME 

work.  You  cannot  afford  to  let  her  entirely 
supplant  you  in  the  intellectual  training  of  your 
child.  She  needs  your  help  as  you  need 
hers. 

The  question  is  sometimes  asked  whether  it 
is  wise  to  tell  children  stories  of  giants  and 
.ogres.  One  cannot  think  with  composure  of 
banishing  all  giants  from  the  nursery.  Jack's 
giant  and  Aladdin's  genie  and  a  few  other  old- 
time  favorites  have  become  so  thoroughly  estab- 
lished in  the  popular  regard,  and  have  sent 
delightful  thrills  of  terror  through  so  many  gen- 
erations of  children,  that  it  would  be  a  thank- 
less if  not  a  hopeless  task  to  attempt  to  drive 
them  out.  But  if  giants  are  demanded, —  es- 
pecially if  they  be  man-eating  giants, —  it  is 
well  not  to  introduce  them  too  early,  or  to  allow 
the  child  to  become  too  intimate  with  them, 
for,  at  best,  they  are  not  good  company.  Little 
people  are  not  all  alike.  The  sturdy  boy  who 
is  afraid  of  nothing  exults  in  his  fancied  ability 
to  dispose  of  all  these  fabulous  folk.  But  the 
nervous,  sensitive  child  —  it  is  little  short  of 
cruelty  to  keep  him  awake  nights  peophng  the 
walls  and  the  shadows  of  the  window  curtains 
with  dreadful  shapes  which  his  imagination 
29 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

has  gathered  from  the  evening  story.  Some 
parents  argue  that  the  child  must  grow  accus- 
tomed to  such  things.  Let  him  wait,  then,  until 
he  is  old  enough  or  strong  enough  to  listen  with- 
out fear. 

There  is  another  danger  beside  that  of 
frightening  him.  An  appetite  is  being  created 
which  may  later  become  a  source  of  serious 
trouble.  The  boy  or  girl  who  is  brought  up 
on  a  diet  of  ogre  stories  will  continue  to  demand 
extravagant  and  blood-curdling  fiction,  and  if 
the  family  library  does  not  contain  anything 
sanguinary  enough,  he  will  find  it  at  the  news- 
stand. He  may  have  a  giant  or  two  occasion- 
ally, as  he  would  have  a  piece  of  plum  cake, 
but  his  digestion  should  not  be  ruined  by  a 
surfeit  of  them. 

The  story  period  of  a  child's  life  merges  im- 
perceptibly into  the  reading  period.  If  the 
parent  is  a  good  story-teller  he  will  find  the 
story  period  of  surprising  extent,  for  no  child 
ever  quite  outgrows  the  fondness  for  a  good 
story  told  by  word  of  mouth.  The  story-book 
is  only  the  story  carefully  thought  out  and  trans- 
ferred to  type;  and  as  soon  as  the  child  will 
listen  with  interest  to  the  reading  of  books  the 
30 


READING  IN  THE  HOME 

stories  of  the  great  story-tellers  should  be  read 
in  their  own  language. 

The  next  important  step  in  the  child's  liter- 
ary history  occurs  when  he  finds  himself  able 
to  translate  by  his  own  effort  the  printed  char- 
acters upon  the  page,  and  wanders  away  from 
his  school  reader  to  test  for  himself  his  newly 
acquired  powers.  This  is  the  point  at  which 
he  particularly  needs  help.  He  should  now  be 
surrounded  with  so  much  good  reading  mate- 
rial that  he  will  have  no  time  or  inclination  to 
read  what  is  low  or  common. 

It  is  well  to  have  a  definite  plan  for  the 
children's  reading.  Set  aside  an  hour  after 
dinner  on  two  or  three  evenings  of  each  week, 
or  even  on  one  evening  if  more  cannot  be 
spared.  Let  it  be  a  regular  appointment.  If 
the  children  are  of  widely  differing  ages,  divide 
the  time  between  them.  Devote  the  hour  of 
each  to  the  reading  of  a  good  book  suited  to 
his  needs  and  interests,  and  suggest  other  books 
which  he  may  take  up  by  himself  during  the 
intervals  between  the  readings. 

Thus  the  reading  of  the  Angevin  period  in 
Dickens's  "Child's  History  of  England,"  or  any  i 
good  elementary  English  history,  will  make  the  / 
31 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

child  want  to  know  more  of  the  heroes  of  those 

/old  days,  and  you  may  start  him  to  reading  the 

I  story  of  the  Crusades,  "The  Talisman"  and 

I  "Ivanhoe"  of  Scott,  the  Robin  Hood  legends, 

j  Shakespeare's  "King  John"  and  "Richard  II.," 

Adams's  "Page,  Squire,  and  Knight,"  Yonge's 

"The  Prince  and  the  Page"  and  "Richard  the 

Fearless,"    Miss    Porter's    "Scottish   Chiefs," 

\  Edward   Everett   Hale's    "In  His  Name,"  a 

j  romance  based    on   the    persecutions   of  the 

\  Waldenses,     stories     from   Chaucer,    Sidney 

Lanier's  "The  Boy's  Froissart,"    and  so  on, 

supplying  a  wealth  of  historical  material  of 

the  greatest  interest,  and  of  deep  meaning  to  the 

child  at  just  this    time,  because  he  sees  it  in 

its    proper  setting  and  thus  understands  it. 

No  college  course  in  history  can  ever  give  one 

quite  so  clear  and  permanent  an  impression  as 

th^t  gained  in  childhood  by  the  boy  or  girl 

who  reads  history  in  this  way. 

It  may  be  asked  at  what  point  the  parent 
should  cease  reading  to  the  child.  At  no 
point  whatever.  As  the  child  becomes  able  to 
read,  the  parent  may  read  with  him  rather 
than  to  him,  but  the  reading  is  best  done 
aloud,  and  the  feeling  of  association  should  be 
32 


READING  IN  THE  HOME 

continued  as  long  as  possible.  I  know  a  father 
who  is  reading  a  course  in  history,  several  nights 
each  week,  with  his  sons,  now  young  men. 
It  is  difficult  to  express  the  sympathy,  the  joy, 
and  the  inspiration  that  they  are  finding  in 
this  work.  I  want  to  say  here,  that  the  father 
who  leaves  to  the  nurse  or  even  to  the  mother 
the  whole  duty  of  introducing  his  children  to 
the  great  masters  of  literature  is  missing  one 
of  the  rarest  privileges  of  life.  There  are  few 
fathers  who  cannot  spend  an  hour  each  Sunday 
evening  reading  to  their  children,  and  there  is 
nothing  else  which  will  so  strengthen  the  bond 
of  sympathy  between  them.  The  father  can 
in  this  way  watch  the  mental  development  of 
his  boy  or  girl,  can  see  what  their  interests  are, 
and  can  help  them  when  they  most  need  help. 
A  word  about  stimulative  or  corrective  read- 
ing. Lord  Lytton  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the 
genial  Mr.  Caxton  an  interesting  prescription  for 
mental  ailments.  He  looks  upon  a  library  as  a 
magnificent  pharmacopoeia,  and  for  each  trou- 
ble designates  an  appropriate  Uterary  remedy. 
Thus,  for  hypochondria  he  prescribes  the  read-  ' 
ing  of  travels;  for  financial  losses,  imaginative  ( 
poetry;  for  grief,  the  study  of  a  science, ' 
33 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

or  a  language  with  plenty  of  hard  reason- 
ing in  it;  for  narrowness  and  a  tendency  to 
sectarianism,  a  course  in  history.  Now,  while 
this  scheme  does  not  quite  apply  to  children's 
reading,  it  is  suggestive  of  an  idea  which  has 
always  guided  the  thoughtful  parent  or  teacher 
in  choosing  reading  matter  for  the  young, — 
namely,  to  strengthen  weak  spots  in  the  child's 
intellectual  make-up,  and  to  round  out  his 
range  of  interests.  If  the  child  lacks  imagina- 
tion, fairy  stories  will  help  to  arouse  it.,  If  he 
knows  little  about  nature,  tales  of  the  woods 
and  fields  will  quicken  an  interest  and  open 
to  him  a  new  world. )  But  this  sort  of  remedial 
reading  should  be  done  sympathetically  and 
never  carried  to  the  point  of  weariness.  There 
is  no  sadder  sight  than  to  see  a  poor  child  being 
pumped  full  of  something  that  he  does  not 
want, —  fidgeting  under  the  ordeal  and  longing 
to  get  away, —  and  there  is  no  surer  way  of 
making  him  dislike  books,  of  whatever  sort. 
If  you  find  that  you  are  reading  to  your  boy 
or  girl  something  which  awakens  no  interest, 
do  not  insist  upon  carrying  it  heroically  through 
to  the  end.  Put  it  aside  and  bring  it  forward 
at  some  future  time  when  he  is  in  a  mood  to 
34 


READING  IN  THE  HOME 

receive  it.  Your  theory  as  to  what  he  ought 
to  like  will  be  shattered  many  times  by  the 
fact  that  he  does  not  like  it,  and,  after  all,  it  is 
more  important  that  he  should  acquire  the 
reading  habit  and  the  love  of  books  than  that 
he  should  be  informed  upon  any  particular 
subject.  He  should  at  first  be  given  the  books 
he  likes,  provided  only  that  they  are  good  and 
wholesome,  for  every  worthy  book  read  by  a 
child  is  a  round  in  the  ladder  upon  which  he 
mounts  to  an  appreciation  of  stronger  and 
greater  books, —  to  a  broader  view  of  the  pleas- 
ant fields  and  pasture  lands  of  literature,  and 
to  a  communion  with  **  those  deathless  minds," 
as  Shelley  has  called  them,  "  which  leave,  when 
they  have  passed,  a  path  of  Hght." 

There  are  continual  calls  for  lists  of  books  for 
children.  It  may  be  said  that  a  list  of  books 
which  shall  meet  the  needs  of  every  child  is  like 
a  medicine  which  shall  cure  every  disorder, —  it 
smacks  of  quackery.  Yet  there  are  certain 
great  and  abiding  books  which  should  form 
the  framework  of  every  course  of  juvenile  read- 
ing. It  is  a  significant  fact  that  most  of  these 
books,  as,  for  example,  the  Odyssey,  yEsop's 
Fables,  "Arabian  Nights,"  and  "Robinson 
35 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Crusoe,"  were  not  intended  for  children  at  all, 
but  were  written  when  men  were  more  child- 
like than  they  are  to-day,  and  when  simplicity 
and  directness  were  the  characteristics  of  all 
literature.  Indeed,  you  may  name  on  the  fingers 
of  one  hand  all  the  books,  written  for  children, 
that  have  any  claim  to  immortality. 

The  next  chapter  outlines  a  course  of  story- 
telhng  and  reading  which  is  full  enough  to 
offer  an  opportunity  for  selection,  and  which 
contains  all  the  great  books  that  every  child 
should  love  to  know,  together  with  a  fair  rep- 
resentation of  other  and  less  important  writings 
which  represent  the  best  of  our  modem  chil- 
dren's literature.  The  most  important  books 
are  starred, —  not  always  because  they  are 
greater  books  than  others  unstarred,  but  be- 
cause they  contain  something  that  is  necessary 
to  the  development  of  the  child's  intellectual 
life. 


36 


CHAPTER  m 
A  LIST  OF  BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

Age,  One  to  Two  Years 

♦A  Good  Pictuee  Book:  Among  the  best  are  the  animal 
books  issued  by  ^('Tin^t  Niftf",  ^^^  Book  of  the  Zoo, 
for  wild  animals;  The  Book  of  the  Farm,  Our  Moo 
Cow  Book,  and  Our  Dog  Friends  for  domestic  animals. 
Red  Riding  Hood,  in  the  same  series,  is  also  good. 
Dean's  Rag  Books,  printed  on  cloth,  washable  and 
well-nigh  indestructible,  are  excellent.  But,  after  all, 
the  best  picture  book  for  a  child  is  one  made  by  the 
parents.  A  yard  of  curtain-shade  material,  folded  into 
leaves  and  stitched  at  the  back,  insures  a  durable 
foimdation  upon  which  may  be  pasted  bright,  simple, 
and  attractive  pictiu-es  —  not  gaudy  but  artistic  —  such 
as  one  may  collect  with  a  little  care. 

♦Mother  Goose:  This  is  the  universal  children's  classic, 
and  has  no  substitute.  The  best  illustrated  edition  is 
that  issued  by  Nister.  A  good  cheap  edition  is  edited 
by  Charles  Welsh  in  Heath's  "Home  and  School 
Classics." 

Age,  Two  to  Three  Years 

♦Classic  Nursery  Tales:  Including  Cinderella,  The 
Three  Bears,  Little  Red  Riding  Hood,  Hop  o'  my 
Thumb,  etc.  The  Nister  edition,  entitled  Mother 
Goose  Nurse;ry  Tales,  is  the  most  attractive.  Scud- 
der's  "  Fables  and  Folk  Stories  "  is  cheaper  and  the 
selection  of  tales  is  even  better. 
37 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

)  -^  *Gkimm  :  Fairy  Tales.  Care  should  be  taken  in  selecting 
an  edition  of  Grimm,  as  many  of  the  tales  in  complete 
editions  are  coarse  and,  except  to  the  student  of  folk- 
lore, quite  worthless.  The  best  expensive  edition  is 
Nister's.  A  good  cheap  edition  in  two  volumes,  care- 
fully edited,  is  that  by  Sara  E.  Wiltse  in  Ginn's  "  Clas- 
sics for  Children." 

Baxm,  Fhank  L.  :  Father  Goose.  The  humor  appeals 
to  adults  and  older  children,  but  the  jingles  and  bright 
pictures  are  appreciated  by  the  little  ones. 

Perkins,  Lucy  Fitch:  The  Goose  Girl.  A  Mother's 
Lap  Book  of  Rhymes  and  Pictures.     Excellent. 

Seegmillee,  Wilhelmina:  Little  Rhymes  for  Little 
Readers.    Pictures  and  text  equally  good. 

Gbeen.  Allen  Ayrault:  The  Good  Fairy  and  the  Bun- 
nies. A  nonsense  book  for  small  children.  Well 
illustrated. 

Age,  Three  to  Four  Years 

O — *.^op :  Fables.  Perhaps  the  best  edition  is  that  edited 
by  Joseph  Jacobs  and  published  by  Macmillan. 
Cheaper  editions  are  issued  by  the  various  school-book 
publishers. 

Q *Andersen,    Hans    Christian  :    Fairy  Tales.    For  an 

expensive  edition  the  Nister  is  preferred.  Blackie  and 
Son,  London,  issue  an  attractive  cheap  edition.  The 
school-book  houses  also  publish  selections. 

♦Stevenson,  Robert  Louis:  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
Child  poetry  written  from  the  child's  standpoint.  Scrib- 
ner's  edition,  illustrated  by  Jessie  Wilcox  Smith,  is  good, 
also  the  Rand-McNally  school  edition. 

Lang,  Andrew  :   Blue  Fairy  Book. 

Lang,  Andrew  :   Green  Fairy  Book.    These  books  con- 
tain  tales  found   in   Grimm   and   other   collections, 
38 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

together  with  a  great  many  others  drawn  from  the  folk- 
lore of  all  nations. 
Harrison,  Edh-h  Ogden  :    Prince  Silverwings.    A  good 
fairy  story  for  younger  children. 

Age,  Fotjb  to  Five  Years 

Q_*BiBhK  Stories:  Especially  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham  and 
Isaac,  Joseph,  Moses,  Elijah,  Daniel,  Jesus  and  His 
Disciples.  If  help  is  needed  in  retelling  these  stories, 
Margaret  Sangster's  Story  Bible  or  Baldwin's  Old 
Stories  of  the  East  will  prove  suggestive. 

♦Lear,  Edward:  Nonsense  Rhymes.  The  most  artistic 
nonsense  ever  written.  Get  the  complete  edition  in 
one  volume. 

*La  Fontaine,  Jean  de:  Fables.  These  are  mainly 
from  ^sop  and  Oriental  sources,  elaborated  and 
put  into  verse.  The  verse  has  been  admirably  pre- 
served in  an  English  translation  by  Edward  Shirley, 
illustrated  in  color  and  published  by  Nelson,  Ikiin- 
burgh. 

Lang,  Andrew:   Red  Fairy  Book. 

Lang,  Andre:w:  Yellow  Fairy  Book.  A  continuation 
of  the  series  named  under  the  preceding  year.  There 
are  also  Gray,  Crimson,  and  Violet  Fairy  Books  by  the 
same  author,  but  the  child  must  not  be  drowned  in 
fairy  lore,  and  usually  the  two  first  named  will  be  quite 
enough.  The  temperament  of  the  child  should  decide 
this. 

Jackson,  Helen  Hunt:  Cat  Stories.  Useful  in  awaken- 
ing interest  in  domestic  pets  and  in  making  children 
kind  to  them. 
;^— MoRLET,  Margaret  W.:  Little  Mitchell.  The  story 
of  a  mountain  squirrel.  Excellent  as  an  alternate  to 
the  Cat  Stories,  or  to  follow  it. 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Age,  Five  to  Six  Yeahs 

O *RtJ8KiN,  John:    King  of  the  Golden  River.    The  most 

beautiful  sermon  ever  preached  to  children  in  the  guise 
of  a  fairy  tale. 
♦Field,  Eugene  :    Lullaby  Land.    A  collection  of  Eugene 
Field's  best  poems  for  and  about  children. 
Q— *CAimoLi.,  Lewis:   Alice  in  Wonderland.    Supplies  the 

element  of  absurdity  demanded  at  this  age. 
^«u— Carroll,  Lewis:    Through  a  Looking  Glass.    Sequel 

to  Alice  in  Wonderland. 
Q. — *Andrews,  Jane:    Seven  Little  Sisters.    Stories  of  child- 
life  among  the  various  races  of  mankind.    Interesting 
and  useful  for  its  presentation  of  first  ideas  of  geography. 

O Andrews,  Jane:   Each  and  All.    Sequel  to  Seven  Little 

Sisters. 
Q. — WiGGiN,  Kate   Douglas:   The  Story  Hour.    A  charm- 
ing retelling  of  the  old  stories  that  children  love. 
Q — 'Kipling,  Rudyard:   Just  So  Stories.    Fanciful  expla- 
nations of  How  the  Camel  Got  his  Hump,  How  the 
Rhinoceros  Got  his  Skin,  etc. 
Stockton,  Frank:    Nights  with  Uncle  Remus.    Negro 

folk-lore.  Quaint  and  entertaining. 
_Sewell,  Anna:  Black  Beauty.  The  story  of  a  horse. 
Continues  the  interest  in  animals  begun  with  the  Cat 
Stories  and  Little  Mitchell  the  preceding  year.  Teaches 
kindness  to  animals. 
Ensign,  Hermon  Lee:  Lady  Lee.  A  good  collection 
of  animal  stories  with  a  purpose. 

Age,  Six  to  Seven  Years 
♦BuNTAN,   John:   Pilgrim's  Progress.    Read  it  for  the 
story  and  omit  the  theological  discussions.    The  best 
complete  edition  is  published  by  the  Century  Com- 
pany and  illustrated  by  the  Rhead  brothers.    Several 
iO 


o- 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

good  abridged  editions  are  obtainable.  The  mystery 
of  the  tale  appeals  strongly  to  all  children,  and  they 
are  attracted  by  the  direct,  forceful  English  in  which 
it  is  written. 

^-u_*KiNGSLET,  Chaiiles:  Water  Babies.  A  fascinating  story 
of  animal  life  in  river  and  sea,  told  with  rare  skill,  and 
emphasizing  the  beauty  of  helpfulness. 

Q* — *Brown,  Db.  John:  Rab  and  his  Friends.  The  model 
dog  story.  No  child  can  read  it  without  having  more 
respect  and  affection  for  the  canine  race. 
*A  Good  General  Collection  of  Poems  for  Young 
Children.  The  best  is,  probably.  The  Land  of 
Song,  Book  I,  compiled  by  Miss  K.  A.  Shute.  The 
Posy  Ring,  by  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin;  Whittier's 
Child  Life  in  Poetry,  and  Open  Sesame,  Vol.1,  by 
Misses  Bellamy  and  Goodwin,  are  also  good.  An 
excellent  plan,  which  I  have  followed  with  my  own 
children,  is  to  make  a  collection  of  favorite  poems, 
letting  the  children  choose  those  which  they  like 
best,  and  copying  them  into  a  blank  book  for  further 
reading  and,  in  some  cases,  memorizing. 
^  Kipling.  Rddyabd:  The  Jungle  Book.  A  strong,  thrilling 
wonder  story  of  life  in  the  jungle,  centring  about  the 
adventures  of  Mowgli,  a  child  reared  in  the  wolf-pack. 

p) — Kipling,  Rudtard:   The  Second  Jungle  Book.    Ani- 
mal stories  of  India  and  elsewhere.    May  well  follow 
the  first,  if  there  is  a  demand  for  more. 
O—CoLLODi,  C:    The  Adventures  of  Pinocchio.    From  the 
Italian.    Pinocchio  is  a  marionette,  who,  after  suffer- 
ing many  misfortimes  because  of  his  selfishness,  finally 
conquers  himself  and  develops  into  a  real  boy.    It  is 
full  of  quaint  humor  and  human  nature. 
De  la  Ramee,  Louise:    A  Dog  of  Flanders.    Not  quite 
as  good  as  Rab  and  his  Friends,  but  useful  to  follow 
41 


y^jH^ 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

it,  if  the  child  wants  more  about  dogs.  Rather  too 
pathetic  for  a  sensitive  child. 

ACKERAY,  Wm.  M.:  The  Rose  and  the  Ring.  A  deli- 
cious extravaganza,  forming  an  excellent  introduction  to 
Thackeray. 

Gbeene,  Frances  Nimmo:  King  Arthur  and  his  Court. 
A  simple  retelling  of  a  few  of  the  most  celebrated 
Arthurian  legends  for  young  children. 
r ^Francillon,  R.  E.:  Gods  and  Heroes.  The  best  ele- 
mentary treatment  of  the  Greek  myths.  Prepares  the 
way  for  an  appreciation  of  Hawthorne's  and  Kings- 
ley's  Greek  stories  later. 

Hale,  Lucretia  P.:    Peterkin  Papers.     Full  of  humor 
and  good  common  sense, 
■s       Mm rx-TT-rw  A  TK-^  D.  M.:    Adventures  of  a  Brownie.     A 
fanciful  story  of  one  of  the  familiar  house  sprites,  of 
whom  children  always  love  to  hear. 

Noel,  Maurice:  Buz:  The  Life  and  Adventures  of  a 
Honey-Bee.  Awakens  interest  in  nature  and  leads  to 
habits  of  observation. 

Age,  Seven  to  Eight  Years 

*Defoe,  Daniel:  Robinson  Crusoe.  The  greatest  story 
of  adventure  ever  written.  Illustrates  how  much  one 
man  can  do,  unaided. 

■^, *Hawthorne,  Nathaniel:    Wonder  Book. 

■s — *Hawthorne,  Nathaniel:  Tanglewood  Tales.  These 
two  books  —  often  published  in  one  volume  —  supply 
the  best  general  idea  of  the  Greek  myths  for  children 
of  this  age. 

0 — *LoNGFELLOw,  Henry  Wadsworth:    Hiawatha.    Get  a 
complete  edition  of  Longfellow's  poems,  and  if  the 
child  is  interested,  read  also  Paul  Revere's  Ride  and 
some  of  the  other  Tales  of  a  Wayside  Inn. 
42 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

>-*Wyss,  J.  R.:    Swiss  Family  Robinson.     Not  so  good  as 
Robinson  Crusoe,  but  often  better  liked  by  children, 
probably  because  children  occupy  a  prominent  place 
in  the  story. 
Sptri,  Joanna:    Heidi.    A  charming  story  of  a  little 
Swiss  girl's  life  in  the  mountains,  and  later  in  the  city. 
Translated  from  the  German. 
H-EwiNG,    Juliana   Hobatia:    Jackanapes.    A   story   of 
English  life  with  a  real  child  hero.     Its  only  fault  is 
its  sadness. 
) — ^BuHNETT,  Frances  Hodgson:    Little  Lord  Fauntleroy 
A  lesson  in  politeness  and  friendliness.     Particularly 
useful  for  boys  at  this  age. 
Menefee,    Maud:    Child    Stories    from    the    Masters. 
Stories    from  Tennyson,    from   Browning,   and  from 
the    operas,    charmingly     retold    in    simple,    poetic 
prose. 
Zttkala-Sa:    Old  Indian  Legends.    The  myths  of  the 
Dakotahs  told  in  picturesque  English,  by  one  of  the 
tribe,  and  illustrated  by  the  Indian  artist.  Angel  de  Cora. 
) — Macdonald,  George:   At  the  Back  of  the  North  Wind. 
A  fascinating  fairy  tale. 
Andrews,  Jane:   Stories  Mother  Nature  Told  her  Chil- 
dren.   Tales  about  the  dragon-Cy  and  its  history,  the 
water  lilies,  the  Indian  corn,  the  pranks  of  the  Frost 
Giants,  how  the  coral  insect  builds,  how  the  coal  got 
into  the  earth,  and   many  other  interesting  facts  in 
nature. 
Seton,  Ernest  Thompson  :  Wild  Animals  I  have  Known. 
.   §eton,   Ernest  Thompson:    Biography  of  a  Grizzly. 
Two  stirring  out-of-door  books,  written  with  fine  literary 
skill  and  of  absorbing  interest. 
Jordan,   David  Starr:    Matka  and   Kotik.    A  good 
story  of  seal  life. 

43 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Age,  Eight  to  Nine  Yeaes 
♦The  Bible  :  An  edition  for  children  published  by  the  Cen- 
tury Company,  and  called  The  Bible  for  Young  People, 
contains  the  narrative  portions  and  those  adapted  for 
children's  reading.  If  this  were  better  illustrated,  it 
would  make  an  ideal  children's  Bible.  An  interesting 
exercise  is  the  collecting  of  illustrations  from  among  the 
Soule  photographs,  Dresden  platinum  photographs,  EI- 
son  prints  (smaller  sizes) ,  Prang  platinettes.  Brown  or 
Perry  pictures,  or  similar  collections,  and  "extra  illus- 
trating" the  book. 
r^__  *Arabian  Nights:  Supplies  the  Oriental  element  which  is 
not  found  in  other  fairy  tales  thus  far  read.  Use  a  selec- 
tion of  the  best  tales, —  not  a  complete  edition.  That 
edited  by  Andrew  Lang  is,  on  the  whole,  to  be  preferred. 
♦Swift,  Jonathan:  Gulliver's  Travels.  At  least  the 
voyages  to  Lilliput  and  Brobdingnag.  The  other  voy- 
ages are  less  interesting  to  most  children.  Use  an  ex- 
purgated edition.  Any  of  those  published  for  children's 
use  are  suitable. 
r^^-JilBViNG,  Washington:  Rip  Van  Winkle  and  The  Legend 
of  Sleepy  Hollow.  An  edition  by  Putnam's  Sons  called 
Stories  and  Legends  from  Washington  Irving  contains 
these  and  several  other  good  stories  from  Irving  which 
young  people  will  enjoy.  Some  will  prefer  to  get  the 
Sketch  Book  complete,  and  read  the  descriptive  sketches 
later. 
O—  *Mabie,  Hamilton  W.:  Norse  Stories  Retold  from  the 
Eddas.  The  best  retelling  of  the  Norse  myths. 
♦Caey,  Alice  and  Phcebe:  Poems.  Selected  children's 
poems  from  the  works  of  these  two  sympathetic  and 
gifted  sisters  have  been  collected  and  edited  by  Miss 
Clemmer.  The  collection  is  known  as  Ballads  for 
Little  Folk. 

44 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

BotiVET,  Marguerite:    Sweet  William,   The  adventures 
of  a  little  Nonnan  prince.    A  charming  story. 

!D — Mulock-Craik,  D.  M.:  The  Little  Lame  Prince.  A 
good  fairy  tale  with  a  moral. 

^— ©ODGE,  Mart  Mapes:  Hans  Brinker.  A  story  of  Dutch 
life,  showing  how  perseverance  brings  its  reward. 

) — Richards,  Laura  E.:  Five  Minute  Stories.  An  ad- 
mirable collection,  combining  fun  and  sound  sense. 
Captain  January,  by  the  same  author,  is  also  good. 

)j Peart,  Josephine  D.:    The  Snow  Baby.    A  story  of 

Arctic  exploration  and  life  in  the  frozen  North.  The 
Snow  Baby  is  Mrs.  Peary's  daughter,  who  was  bom 
among  the  icebergs. 
Long,  Wiluam  J. :  Beasts  of  the  Field. 
Long,  William  J.:  Fowls  of  the  Air.  Two  of  the  best 
nature  books  in  print.  Noteworthy  for  their  vitality 
and  their  sympathetic  appreciation  of  wild  hfe.  The 
same  stories  are  issued  in  cheap>er  form  in  three  volumes. 
Ways  of  Wood  Folk,  Wilderness  Ways,  and  Secrets  of 
the  Woods.  Northern  Trails,  and  A  Little  Brother  to 
the  Bear,  by  the  same  author,  are  also  excellent. 

) — Andrews,  Jane:  Ten  Boys  on  the  Road  from  Long  Ago 
to  Now.  A  valuable  introduction  to  history.  The  ten 
boys  each  represent  a  distinct  period,  and  their  stories 
furnish  pictures  of  life,  manners,  and  customs. 

) — Egoleston,  Edward:  Stories  of  Great  Americans  for 
Little  Americans.  Personal  anecdotes  of  some  of  the 
great  figures  in  our  national  history. 

Age,  Nine  to  Ten  Yeabs 

i — *Shake8peare,  William:    Midsummer  Night's  Dream. 

■^ .*Shakespeare,  Wiluam:    The  Tempest. 

^-*6hakespe:are,  William:     The   Merchant    of    Venice. 
These  three  plays  appeal  to  all  children.    The  first  two 
45 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

can  be  read  in  many  cases  even  earlier.  The  finest  edi- 
tion of  Shakespeare  for  children  is  the  larger  Tremple 
Edition,  in  twelve  volumes,  illustrated.  The  volumes  can 
be  bought  separately.  An  excellent  one-volume  Shake- 
speare is  pubhshed  by  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  in  the 
"Cambridge  Poets."  Children  should  be  encouraged  to 
go  as  far  in  Shakespeare  as  their  interest  will  lead  them. 
O*— ^Homer:  The  Odyssey.  Palmer's  Translation.  If  the 
opening  book  is  not  appreciated,  begin  with  the  setting 
out  of  Telemachus  in  search  of  his  father.  The  wan- 
derings of  Odysseus  are  always  of  absorbing  interest. 
Lamb's  story  of  them  seldom  stirs  the  little  folk  as  does 
this  translation,  in  which  the  poetry  and  swing  of  the 
great  epic  are  preserved. 

♦KiNGSLET,  Chables:  Greek  Heroes.  The  stories  of 
Perseus,  The  Argonauts,  and  Theseus  told  in  poetic 
prose  —  as  fine  an  example  of  this  style  of  diction  as 
has  perhaps  ever  been  written.  It  is  better  than  Haw- 
thorne's, for  it  preserves  the  Greek  spirit, —  which 
Hawthorne  entirely  loses. 

♦Plutarch:  Life  of  Themistocles.  Get  White's  Boys' 
and  Girls'  Plutarch.  If  the  children  like  it,  read  them 
also  the  lives  of  Pericles  and  of  Alexander.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  readings  for  this  year  centre  about  Greek 
life  and  history. 

*Cox,  Sm  G.  W. :  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.  A  fine  col- 
lection of  Greek  stories.  If  the  child  has  found  dif- 
ficulty in  understanding  the  books  already  recommended 
for  this  year,  Shaw's  Stories  of  the  Ancient  Greeks  will 
suit  better  than  Cox's  book,  because  simpler. 

♦Church,  Alfred  J. :    The  Story  of  the  Iliad.    The  Ihad 
being  not  quite  so  simple  as  the  Odyssey,  this  recasting 
of  the  tale  by  a  prince  among  story-tellers  will  be  found 
more  interesting  at  this  stage  than  a  translation. 
46 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

■f^jHtJECH,  Alfbed  J.:  Stories  from  Herodotus.  Makes 
the  transition  from  Greek  legend  to  Greek  history. 

Church,  AiiFRED  J. :  Stories  from  the  Greek  Tragedians. 
Strong,  interesting  tales,  well  told. 

Church,  Alfred  J.:    Three  Greek  Children. 

Church,  Alfred  J.:  The  Young  Macedonian.  These 
two  books  furnish  interesting  pictures  of  child  life 
among  the  ancient  Greeks.  They  are  more  valuable  at 
this  stage  than  formal  history. 

Burroughs,  John:    Birds  and  Bees. 

BiTRROUGHS,  John:    Squirrels  and  Other  Fur  Bearers. 

Burroughs,  John:  Wake  Robin.  Thoroughly  delight- 
ful and  authoritative  nature  books,  by  one  of  the  closest 
observers  and  most  charming  writers  in  this  field.  They 
offer  a  change  from  the  Greek  literature,  and  give  a 
breath  of  out-of-door  life  which  most  children  will 
appreciate. 

FouQUE,  Baron  de  la  Motte:  Undine.  One  of  the 
little  classics  of  German  literature.  Undine  is  a  water 
spirit  in  himian  form,  but  without  a  human  soul — until  at 
length  love  comes  to  her  and  lifts  her  into  a  higher  life. 

Age,  Ten  to  Eleven  Years 

♦A  Good  Young  People's  History  of  Rome  to  form  the 

basis  for  the  readings  of  this  year.     Guerber's  Story 

of  the  Romans  or  Yonge's  Young  Folk's  History  of 

Rome  is  recommended. 
♦Macaulat,  Thos.  B.:    Lays  of  Ancient  Rome.    Heroic 

and  inspiring  poems,  which  all  children  enjoy. 
♦Church,  A.  J.:    Stories  from  Virgil.    Gives  the  child  an 

excellent  idea  of  the  iEneid,  and  is  much  more  attractive 

at  this  age  than  a  translation. 
♦Church,  A.  J.:   Stories  from  Livy.  Tales  of  early  Roman 

history,  drawn  from  the  greatest  of  Roman  historiaos. 
47 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

♦Plutahch:  Lives  of  Brutus  and  of  Cresar.  Use  White's 
Plutarch  for  Boys  and  Girls,  recommended  for  the  pre- 
ceding year. 

*Shaxbspeare,  Wiijjam:    Coriolanus. 
/^v-- *Shakespeake,    WilXiIAm:     Julius  Caesar.    These  plays 
will  be  doubly  appreciated  after  the  historical  reading 
which  has  gone  before. 

Church,  A.  J.:    The  Burning  of  Rome.    A  vivid  story 
of  one  of  the  most  thrilling  events  in  Roman  history. 
CV—CmniCH,  A.  J.:    Two  Thousand  Years  Ago;  or,  the  Ad- 
ventures of  a  Roman  Boy.    A  good  picture  of  Roman 
life  and  manners. 

Church,  A.  J. :    Pictures  of  Roman  Life  and  Story. 
C3'~~BuLWER-LYTroN,  Sm  Edward:    Last  Days  of  Pompeii, 
Most  children  of  ten  who  have  read  the  foregoing  books 
will  find  this  story  of  real  interest  to  them.    If,  how- 
ever, they  are  not  ready  for  it,  defer  the  readinguntil  later. 

(3 Wallace,  Gen.  Lew:    Ben  Hur.    A  Tale  of  the  Christ. 

Gives  an  admirable  idea  of  Roman  life  in  the  days  of 
Nero  and  of  the  beginnings  of  Christianity  in  Rome. 

Yonge,  Charlotte:  The  Cook  and  the  Captive.  A 
good  story  of  the  Romans  in  Gaul,  illustrating  the  life 
of  the  Northern  tribes. 
(;>-^=  Yonge,  Charlotte:  Book  of  Golden  Deeds.  A  collec- 
tion of  short  historical  stories  of  all  countries  and  ages, 
emphasizing  heroism  and  sacrifice. 

Ketser,  Leander  S.:  In  Bird  Land.  An  entire  change 
of  subject.  To  some  children  the  Roman  atmosphere 
in  the  foregoing  books  may  grow  oppressive.  This, 
like  the  Burroughs  books  in  the  preceding  year,  will 
preserve  the  balance. 

MoRLEY,  Margaret  W.  :  A  Song  of  Life.  Another  good 
nature  book. 

De  Amicis,  Edmondo  de:    Cuore:    An  Itahan  School- 
48 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

boy's  Journal.  A  pure,-  sweet  story  of  school  life  in 
Italy,  useful  not  only  for  its  pictures  of  Italian  life,  but 
for  its  inspiring  moral  influence. 
Abbott,  Jacob:  Malleville.  A  story  of  life  in  New 
Hampshire.  Old-fashioned,  but  thoroughly  healthful 
and  interesting.  Others  of  the  Franconia  Stories,  of 
which  this  is  the  first,  may  be  read  if  there  is  time. 

^}^ Stevenson,  Robebt  liOUis:    Treasure  Island.    The  best 

of  all  pirate  stories.  Boys  at  this  age  generally  manifest 
an  unmistakable  thirst  for  gore.  When  this  appears, 
it  is  better  to  give  them  a  good  pirate  book  than  to  let 
them  find  a  bad  one. 

Age,  Eleven  to  Twelve  Yeabs 

^ *DiCKEN8,  Chahles  :    Child's  History  of  England.    To  be 

used  diuing  this  and  the  following  year  as  a  thread  to 
connect  the  readings.  Other  elementary  histories  may 
be  more  exact,  but  Dickens's  is  interesting  and  always 
popular  with  children. 

I *ScoTT,   Sm  Walter:    Tales  of  a  Grandfather.     The 

history  of  Scotland  in  easy,  entertaining  narrative.  Use 
this  in  the  same  way  as  the  Cliild's  History  of  England, 
carrying  the  two  along  together. 
KiBKLAND,  E.  S.:  Short  History  of  France.  Entertain- 
ingly written  for  young  people.  The  use  of  this  may  be 
determined  by  the  reception  given  to  the  two  foregoing 
histories. 

•y___*LANiER,  Sidney:  The  Bo/s  King  Arthur.  (Time: 
Sixth  Century,  A.  D.)  Malory's  Morte  d'Arthur 
rearranged  and  simplified.  The  latter  portion  is  for  the 
most  part  in  Malory's  own  language  —  Old  English. 
Lanier,  Sidney:  Knightly  Legends  of  Wales.  (Sixth 
Century.)  Contains  the  Welsh  Arthurian  stories  and 
several  of  an  earlier  date. 

id 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

♦Lowell,  James  Russell:  The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal. 
Aside  from  its  beauty  as  a  poem  it  is  valuable  at  just  this 
point  as  a  corrective,  or  foot-note,  to  the  Arthurian 
stories. 

Baldwin,  James:    The  Story  of  Siegfried.    Germanic 
*  folk-lore. 
/^   .  Baldwin,  James:    The  Story  of  Roland.   (A.  D.  778.) 
A  delightful  excursion   into  French    history.      Semi- 
legendary. 

Q^ Tappan,  Eva  March:    In  the  Days  of  Alfred  the  Great. 

(A.  D.  871.) 

*Shake3Peare,  William:    Macbeth.     (1033-1056.) 

Bulwer-Lytton,  Sm  Edward:  Harold,  the  Last  of 
the  Saxons.  (1066.)  A  vivid  picture  of  the  conflict 
between  Saxons  and  Normans  for  the  mastery  of 
England. 
(^y- — Tappan,  Eva  March:  In  the  Days  of  William  the  Con- 
queror.    (1066.) 

Pyle,  Howard:  The  Merry  Adventures  of  Robin  Hood. 
(1190.)  This  is  probably  the  best  retelUng  of  the 
Robin  Hood  legends,  though  Miss  Tappan's  Robin 
Hood  is  also  excellent. 
Q *Scarr,  Sir  Walter:  The  Talisman.  (1193.)  A  pic- 
ture of  the  Crusades.  The  great  historical  char- 
acters, Saladin,  Richard,  and  Philip,  are  superbly 
drawn. 

Q *ScoTr,  Sir  Walter:   Ivanhoe.     (1194.)    The   historic 

interest  of  Ivanhoe  lies  in  its  delineation  of  the  char- 
acter of  Richard  Cceur  de  Lion  and  the  times  of  the 
Third  Crusade.  Robin  Hood  and  his  men  furnish 
the  legendary  element.  It  follows  The  Talisman,  and 
shows  Richard  after  his  return  to  England.  Both  of 
these  great  novels  are  particularly  valuable  in  inspiring 
in  a  boy  the  spirit  of  chivalry. 
50 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

Qj — *Shake8peake,  William:  King  John,  (1202-1216.)  No 
No  formal  history  is  as  good  for  children  as  Shake- 
speare's historical  dramas. 

YoNGE,  Chahlotte:  The  Prince  and  the  Page.  (1280.) 
A  good  story  for  young  people,  illustrating  social 
conditions  in  England  at  the  end  of  the  thirteenth 
century. 
-V .PoBTEK,  Jane:  Scottish  Chiefs.  (14th  Century.)  Al- 
ways inspiring  to  children,  thoroughly  healthful,  and  a 
valuable  sidelight  to  Scottish  history. 

Laniek,  Sidney:    The  Boy's  Froissart.     (14th  Century.) 
The    Chronicles    retold    in    simple  English.    Covers 
both  English  and  French  history. 
'^ — *Shakespeabe,  William:    Richard  II.    (1398-1399.) 

Knox,  Thomas  W.:  Travels  of  Marco  Polo.  (1275- 
1295.)  Abridged  from  the  Book  of  Marco  Polo.  A 
stirring  accoimt  of  travel  and  adventure  in  the  East. 
Combines  the  elements  of  history,  geography,  and  per- 
haps a  touch  of  fiction,  though  scholars  are  beginning 
to  believe  that  nearly  all  the  geographical  facts  are 
correct. 

KiNGSLET,  Chables:  Madam  How  and  Lady  Why.  A 
fine  introduction  to  geology.  Teaches  habits  of  ob- 
servation. 

Edgewohth,  Maria:  Parent's  Assistant.  The  title  is 
formidable,  but  the  quaint,  old-fashioned  stories  are 
charming.  They  are  real  classics,  and  no  child  should 
miss  the  opportunity  of  becoming  thoroughly  acquaint- 
ed with  them. 

♦Chaucee,  Geoffhet:  The  Prologue  and  The  Km'ght's 
Tale  are  told  in  readable  prose  but  very  nearly  in 
the  phraseology  of  the  original,  and  are  published 
in  the  McClurg  edition,  "Old  Tales  Retold  for  Young 
Readers." 

SI 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Age,  Twelve  to  Thirteen  Years 

♦Shakespeare,  William:  Henry  IV.     (1402-1413.) 
♦Shakespeare,  William:  Henry  V.     (1414-1420.) 
♦Shakespeare,  Willlam:  Henry  VI.     (1422-1471.) 
♦Scott,   Sm  Walter:    Quentin  Durward.     (1450.)    A 
vivid  picture  of  the  life  and  times  of  Louis  XI.    The 
scene  is  laid  in  France  and  Burgundy. 
♦Shakespeare,  William:    Richard  III.     (1471-1485.) 
♦Eliot,  George:   Romola.     (15th  Century.)     A  thrilling 
story  of  Florentine  life  in  the  days  of  Lorenzo  de  Medici 
and  Savonarola.    The  lesson  which  it  emphasizes  is  the 
degeneration  of  character  resulting  from  doing  what  is 
pleasant  rather  than  what  is  right. 
*     ♦Scott,  Sir  Walter:     Marmion.    This  stirring  poem, 
though  its  hero  is  fictitious,  is  a  noble  expression  of  the 
spirit  of  the  Scottish  invasion  of  England  under  James, 
and  contains  a  fine  description  of  the  Battle  of  Flodden 
Field.     Get  an  edition  of  Scott's  poems  containing  this 
and  the  two  following. 
»     *Scott,  Sir  Walter:    The  Lay   of  the  Last  Minstrel. 
(16th  Century.)    A  song  of  border  warfare  .and  enchant- 
ment, giving  a  good  picture  of  Scottish  manners  and 
customs  during  the  period  of  which  it  treats. 
,-^__J?ScOTT,  Sir  Walter:    Lady  of  the  Lake.    (16th  Century.) 
A  romance  of  love  and  war,  more  graceful  than  either 
of  the  two  preceding  poems  but  less  stirring. 
♦Shakespeare,  Wiluam:    Henry  VIII.     (1520-1533.) 
AiNswoRTH,  William  Harrison:  The  Tower  of  London. 
(1553.)     Tells   the   story   of    Lady   Jane   Grey   and 
her  brief  reign,  draws  the  characters  of  Mary  and 
Elizabeth,  and  gives  a  fine  idea  of  the  tower  and  of  the 
political  intrigues  which  went    on  within  it.    Quite 
exciting. 

62 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

Scxyrr,  Sir  Wautek:  Kenilworth.  (1560.)  English  life 
in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

Hale,  Edward  Everbht:  In  His  Name.  (16th  Century.) 
An  excellent  story  for  young  people,  treating  of  the 
persecutions  of  the  Waldenses  in  France. 

Bennett,  John:  Master  Skylark.  (16th  Century.)  The 
story  of  a  little  singer  in  the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 
Shakespeare  is  introduced  and  the  Elizabethan  drama 
interestingly  described.  It  will  help  the  child  to  under- 
stand Shakespeare. 

y •♦Cervantes,  Miguel  de:   Don  Quixote.    (1605.)    This 

old  Spanish  classic  is  a  favorite  with  children,  and 
should  find  a  place  on  every  list  for  young  people's 
reading.  The  Knight  of  the  Rueful  Countenance  is  one 
of  the  great  figures  in  the  world  of  literature. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter:  Old  Mortality.  (1679.)  The  story 
of  the  Covenanters,  showing  the  faith,  the  courage,  and 
the  desperation  which  inspired  the  Scottish  rebellion 
against  Charles  II. 

y Blackmore,  R.  D.  :  Loma  Doone.    A  charming  romance, 

the  scene  of  which  is  laid  in  England  at  the  begiiming 
of  the  eighteenth  century. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter:  Rob  Roy.  Valuable  as  a  picture  of 
society  in  Scotland  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  The 
life  at  Osbaldistone  Hall  is  an  example  of  the  bar- 
barism which  prevailed  in  English  country  seats.  The 
narrative  culminates  in  the  collapse  of  the  Jacobite  up* 
rising. 

♦Scott,  Sir  Walter:  Guy  Mannering.  (18th  Century.) 
Perhaps,  all  in  all,  the  greatest  of  Scott's  novels.  It 
portrays  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Meg 
Merrilies,  Dominie  Sampson,  and  Dandy  Dinmont 
are  characters  with  whom  every  reader  should  be 
familiar. 

53 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

♦Goldsmith,  Oliver:  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield.  (18th 
Century.)  A  story  of  English  country  life,  full  of  humor 
and  of  homely  wisdom.  Its  greatness  lies  in  its  sim- 
plicity. 
SoTJTHEY,  Robert:  Life  of  Nelson.  (1758-1805.)  An 
excellent  biography,  useful  not  only  for  its  historical 
information  but  for  its  high  ideals. 
Martineau,  Harriet:  The  Peasant  and  the  Prince. 
(1789.)  A  picture  of  French  society  just  before  tlie 
French  Revolution.  Thoroughly  wholesome  and  in- 
tensely interesting. 

3 ^*DicKEN8,  Charles:    A  Tale  of  Two  Cities.     (1789- 

1793.)  A  wonderfully  strong  piece  of  historical  fiction, 
bringing  vividly  before  the  reader  the  bloody  days  of  the 
French  Revolution.  Life  in  London  and  life  in  Paris 
are  illustrated  and  contrasted. 

'  Saintine,  X.  B.:  Picciola.  (1804.)  A  touching  story 
of  a  prisoner  and  a  flower.  The  scene  is  laid  in  France 
during  the  reign  of  Napoleon. 

^  *Dickens,  Charles:  A  Christmas  Carol,  and  The  Cricket 
on  the  Hearth.  The  best  of  Dickens's  short  sketches. 
Show  the  joy  of  a  kind  heart.  May  be  read  earlier  if 
preferred. 
♦Hughes,  Thomas:  Tom  Brown  at  Rugby.  Not  only  the 
best  description  of  English  school  life  ever  written,  but 
the  most  thoroughly  attractive  presentation  of  the  manly 
elements  of  a  boy's  character. 
"  iRvma,  Washington:  The  Alhambra.  The  Moorish 
legends  associated  with  the  old  palace  at  Granada,  and 
a  fine  description  of  the  palace  itself. 

^-o— JISpenser,  Edmund:    The  Faery  Queen.    The  McClurg 
edition,  in  the  series  of  "  Old  Tales  Retold  for  Young 
Readers,"  gives  the  simpler  narrative  passages  in  prose 
and  as  nearly  as  practicable  in  the  poet's  words. 
5i 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

♦Engush  History  Told  at  English  Poets.  Edited  by 
Katherine  Lee  Bates  and  Katherine  Coman.  Valuable 
in  coordinating  history  with  literature.  The  selections 
are  for  the  most  part  heroic  and  inspiring. 

White,  Gilbert:  Natural  History  of  Selbome.    A  classic 
English  nature  book,  offering  an  alternative  for  some 
of  the  historical  reading  given  above. 
<^^_JBall,  Sir  Robert  S.  :  Starland.     A  popular  treatment  of 
astronomy  for  young  people. 

Age,  Thibteen  to  Foubteen  Yeabs 

Abbott,  J.  and  J.  C:    Christopher  Columbus. 

TowLE,  George  M.  :  Pizarro.  Has  a  good  account  of  the 
Conquest  of  Peru.  Towle's  Vasco  da  Gama,  Magellan, 
Drake  the  Sea-King  of  Devon,  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 
are  also  good.  They  cover  the  period  of  discovery, 
exploration,  and  conquest,  and  are  as  exciting  as  any 
boy  could  wish. 

Coffin,  Chables  C:  Old  Times  in  the  Colonies.  One 
of  the  best  histories  of  the  Colonial  |>eriod  for  young 
people.  All  of  CoflSn's  books  are  good. 
OL—*Longfellow,  Henry  Wadswobth:  Evangeline,  The 
Courtship  of  Miles  Standish,  Paul  Revere's  Ride. 
Reread  the  last  two,  although  the  child  may  be  some- 
what familiar  with  them.  They  will  mean  more  to  him 
now.     Also  read  The  New  England  Tragedies. 

♦Whittier,  John  Gree:nleaf:  Ballads  of  New  England, 
Snowbound.  The  last  named  may  be  read  later  in  the 
year  if  preferable,  as  it  is  a  picture  of  New  England  life 
at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

Irving,  Washington:  Knickerbocker's  History  of  New 
York.  The  delightful  humor  and  the  exaggeration  do 
not  destroy  its  value  as  a  sidelight  on  American  his* 
tory. 

661 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

♦Cooper,  James  Fenimore:  The  Last  of  the  Mohicans. 
Covers  the  period  of  the  French  and  Indian  War. 
One  of  the  most  representative  pieces  of  American 
fiction. 
'  *Ha"WTHorne,  Nathaniel:  Grandfather's  Chair.  A  series 
of  stories  of  New  England  life,  covering  the  most  im- 
portant events  from  the  early  settlements  to  the  Revo- 
lution. 

♦Irving,  Washington,  and  Fiske,  John:  Washington  and 
His  Country.  An  abridgment  of  Irving's  Life  of  Wash- 
ington, by  John  Fiske,  to  which  is  added  a  brief  history 
of  the  United  States  by  Mr.  Fiske,  containing  the  nar- 
rative from  the  time  of  Washington  to  the  end  of  the 
Civil  War  (1865). 

♦Franklin,  Benjamin:  Autobiography.  Not  only  valua- 
ble as  a  picture  of  life  in  the  Colonies  and  during  the 
formative  period  of  United  States  history,  but  useful  in 
showing  young  people  how  industry,  frugality,  and 
perseverance  bring  their  reward.  Also  a  fine  example 
of  good,  vigorous  Enghsh  prose. 

r\ ♦Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell:     Grandmother's  Story  of 

Bunker  Hill  Battle.  Get  the  complete  poems  of  Holmes 
and  read  also  A  Ballad  of  the  Boston  Tea-Party,  Ode 
for  Washington's  Birthday,  Lexington,  Old  Ironsides, 
Robinson  of  Leyden,  The  Pilgrim's  Vision,  Under  the 
Washington  Elm,  and  other  historical  and  patriotic 
selections;  also,  as  examples  of  Holmes's  best  serious 
verse.  The  Chambered  Nautilus,  and  The  Last  Leaf; 
and  for  hiunor.  The  Deacon's  Masterpiece,  How  the 
Old  Horse  Won  the  Bet,  The  Ballad  of  the  Oysterman, 
etc.  If  a  complete  edition  is  not  desired,  get  the  River- 
side Literature  edition  in  cloth,  which  is  cheaper  and 
which  includes  nearly  all  the  above  and  a  number 
more. 

5a 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

♦Bryant,  William  Cullen:     Song  of  Marion's  Men, 
The   Green   Mountain   Boys.      Get  complete  poems 
and   read  also  Thanatopsis,  Sella,  To    the  Fringed 
Gentian.  To  a  Waterfowl,  The  Death  of  the  Flow- 
ers,   The    Planting   of    the    Apple-Tree,    Robert  of 
Lincoln,   and  as  many  more  as  time    and    interest 
indicate. 
Q> — *CoopEH,  James  Fenimobe:    The  Spy.    A  stirring  story 
of  the  Revolution.    The  scene  is  laid  in  New  York  State, 
by  the  banks  of  the  Hudson. 
^•Cooper,  James  Fenimore:    The  Pilot.    A  story  of  the 
sea.    Paul  Jones  is  the  hero.    About  the  same  period 
as  The  Spy, 
y^__CoFFiN,  Charles  C:  The  Boys  of  '76.    A  good  picture 
of  Revolutionary  times. 
Coffin,   Charles  C:     Buflding   the    Nation.      Covers 
the    formative  period  of  oiu-  history  and  shows  the 
development  of  our  arts,    manufactures,    and  com- 
merce. 
Seawell,  Molly  Eluot:  Decatur  and  Somers.    A  story 
of  American  naval  exploits  in  the  early  days  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.    The  author's  other  naval  biographies, 
Paul    Jones,    Midshipman   Paulding,   Twelve   Naval 
Captains,  etc.,  are  also  excellent. 
♦Hale,  Edward  Everett:  The  Man  Without  a  Country. 
An  inspiration  to  patriotism.     Illustrates  the  effect  of 
Btur's  treason. 
[^— —  *Parkman,  Francis:    The  Oregon  Trafl.    Valuable  not 
only  for  the  history  which  it  presents  of  the  opening  of 
the  great  West,  but  as  an  example  of  the  work  of  one 
of  our  best  American  historians. 
Abbott,  J.  and  J.  C:      Life  of  Daniel  Boone.    A  picture 
of  pioneer  life  in  the  Middle  West. 
y-     ~  Dana,  Richard  H.  :    Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.    A 

67 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

story  of  adventure,  describing  a  voyage  around  Cape 
Horn  to  California  in  ante-railroad  days.  One  of  the 
best  books  of  its  type. 

•  Stowe,  Harriet  Beecher:  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.    Inter- 

esting as  a  story  and  important  because  of  the  influence 
which  it  had  upon  our  nation  in  creating  a  sentiment 
against  slavery. 
,  Coffin,  Chas.  C:  The  Drum  Beat  of  the  Nation.  Treats 
of  the  Civil  War.  Coffin's  The  Boys  of  '61  also  covers 
this  period,  and  is  good. 
Q  Page.  Thomas  Nelson:  Two  Little  Confederates.  Life 
on  a  Virginia  plantation  during  the  Civil  War.  A  good 
book  for  Northern  children  to  read. 

•  Roosevelt,  Theodore,  and  Lodge,  Henry  Cabot:  Hero 

Stories  from  American  History.  A  collection  of  stories 
inspiring  courage,  manliness,  and  patriotism,  as  well 
as  giving  interesting  historical  data. 

AirCOTT,  Ix)uisa  M.:  Little  Women.  A  good,  pure, 
natural  story  of  home  life, —  of  deep  interest  and  fine 
influence. 

Alcott,  Louisa  M.:  Little  Men.  A  sequel  to  Little 
Women,  following  the  lives  of  another  generation  of 
children.  Like  the  preceding,  it  is  thoroughly  whole- 
some and  helpful. 

Age,  Fourteen  to  Fifteen  Years 

♦Rtiskin,  John:  Sesame  and  Lilies.  The  most  inspiring 
and  helpful  talks  ever  given  to  young  people  on  the 
I  subject  of  books  and  reading. 
C^ —  *Homer:  The  Iliad.  Bryant's  translation  in  English  verse 
is  most  likely  to  be  appreciated  by  boys  and  girls  at  this 
age,  though  for  maturer  readers  Chapman's  is  probably 
the  best.  Pope's  translation  is  a  noble  poem,  but  not 
thoroughly  Homeric. 

58 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME   READING 

^—♦Shakespeare,  Wiluam:  As  You  Like  It. 

♦Shakespeahe,  William:  Hamlet. 

♦Shakespeabe,  William:  King  Lear. 

The  above  three  plays  of  Shakespeare — the  first,  his 
representative  comedy,  the  last  two,  his  greatest  tragedies 
— are  suggested  as  completing,  with  the  plays  previously 
recommended,  the  barest  possible  course  in  Shakes- 
peare. It  is  to  be  hoped  that  other  plays,  at  least 
Othello,  Romeo  and  Juliet,  and  Twelfth  Night,  will  be 
read  in  preference  to  any  of  the  unstarred  books  in 
this  list. 

♦Milton,  John:  L' Allegro,  II  Penseroso,  Ode  on  the 
Morning  of  Christ's  Nativity,  Lycidas,  and  at  least  the 
First  Book  of  Paradise  Lost, —  more  if  the  reader  is 
ready  for  it. 

♦Dickens,  Charles:  Pickwick  Papers. 
X— *DicKEN8,  Charles:  David  Copperfield.  These  might 
be  read  much  earlier  in  the  course.  They  have  been 
deferred  only  to  make  room  for  the  historical  material 
in  the  preceding  years.  The  reader  will  want  more 
of  Dickens;  this  is  intended  only  as  an  introduction. 

♦Thackeray,  William  Makepeace:  Henry  Esmond. 
Probably  the  best  novel  with  which  to  begin  the  reading 
of  Thackeray.  A  year  later  read  Pendennis,  and  The 
Newcomes.  Vanity  Fair  is  better  appreciated  when 
one  has  reached  maturity. 

_. ♦Tennyson,  Alfred:    Enoch  Arden,  Idylls  of  the  King. 

The  former  a  narrative  of  love  and  sacrifice;  the  latter, 
a  retelling  of  the  Arthurian  legends  with  grer t  beauty 
of  imagery  and  heroic  sentiment. 
-»  ♦Euot,  George:  Silas  Mamer.  An  intensely  human 
story,  written  from  the  heart.  I^ike  Romola  and  others 
of  George  Eliot's  novels,  its  strength  lies  in  its  portrayal 
of  the  development  of  character. 
58 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Qh. ,.,.  tHuGO,  Victok:  Les  Miserables.  Not  the  entire  story, 
for  the  young  reader  is  probably  not  quite  ready  yet 
for  its  digressions  and  its  philosophy.  An  abridgment 
of  it,  called  Jean  Valjean,  in  the  series  of  "  Classics  for 
Children,"  contains  the  main  thread  of  the  narrative  — 
the  absorbing  story  of  its  principal  character. 
O — *PoE,  Edgab  Allan:  The  Fall  of  the  House  of  Usher, 
A  Descent  into  the  Maelstrom,  and  The  Masque  of  the 
Red  Death.  Read  also,  of  Poe's  poems.  The  Raven, 
Lenore,  Israfel,  The  Bells,  Annabel  Lee,  Ulalume. 
The  "Riverside  Literature  Series"  supplies  a  cheap 
edition  of  Foe  in  one  volume.  This  contains  all  the 
above  and  several  other  selections. 
♦Browning,  Robert:  An  edition  of  the  simpler  narrative 
poems,  known  as  The  Boy's  Browning,  is  a  very  good 
introduction  to  the  poet.  The  title  is  a  misnomer.  It 
is  quite  as  much  for  girls  as  for  boys.  Read  at  least  The 
Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin,  How  They  Brought  the  Good 
News,  The  Lost  Leader,  Herve  Riel,  Incident  of  the 
French  Camp,  and  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra. 
♦Wordsworth,  William:  Poems.  At  least  Lyrical  Bal- 
lads, The  White  Doe  of  Rylstone,  Laodamia,  The  Ode 
on  Intimations  of  Immortality,  and  some  of  the  Sonnets. 
Wordsworth's  philosophy  is  better  appreciated  later, 
but  his  poetry  appeals  to  children  because  of  its  trans- 
parent simplicity. 

'*  ♦Burns,  Robert:  Poems.  At  least  The  Cotter's  Saturday 
Night,  To  a  Mouse,  Bannockbum,  For  a'  That,  Bonnie 
Doon,  Afton  Water,  Of  a'  the  Airts,  and  others  of  the 
songs. 

.  ♦Coleridge,  Samuel  Taylor:  Rune  of  the  Ancient 
Marinw. 

•    ♦Gray,  Thomas:  Elegy  in  a  Country  Churchyard.    This 
and  the  foregoing  have  doubtless  been  read  in  school. 
60 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

Repeat  them.  They  are  in  most  general  collections  of 
poetry.  None  of  the  other  work  of  Coleridge  or  of  Gray 
is  important  at  this  time. 
♦Lamb,  Chaeles:  Essays  of  Elia,  First  Series.  These 
models  of  familiar  English  should  not  be  overiooked. 
Their  quaint  humor  is  a  distinct  note  in  English  litera- 
ture. 
♦Holmes,  Oliver  Wendbxx,:  The  Autocrat  of  the  Break- 
fast Table.  A  rare  combination  of  wit,  philosophy,  and 
good  sense,  showing  Dr.  Holmes  at  his  best.  Usefid 
to  stimulate  thought.  The  other  two  Breakfast  Table 
books  —  The  Professor,  and  The  Poet  —  are  almost 
as  good. 

/|Qi__*HAWTHOHNE,  NATHANIEL :  The  Marble  Faun.    Interest- 
ing as  a  study  of  character,  and  valuable  as  a  description 
of  modem  Rome,  with  its  art  and  its  legends.    A  good 
book  for  general  culture. 
Saint-Pierbe,  BEatNAKDiN  de:   Paui  and  Virginia.    A 

wholesome,  old-fashioned  love-story. 
Austen,  Jane:    Pride  and  Prejudice.    This  is  probably 
Miss  Austen's  best  work,  and  is  far  better  reading  for 
young  people  than  more  highly  spiced  fiction.    It  is 
natural  and  healthful. 

};  ■  WiQOiN,  Kate  Douglas:  Rebecca  of  Sunnybrook  Farm. 
One  of  the  brightest  of  modern  stories.  Rebecca  is  a 
most  interesting  character  and  one  that  will  not  soon  be 
forgotten. 

^...-m  Clemens,  S.  L.  (Mark  Twain)  :  Innocents  Abroad. 
Perhaps  the  most  thoroughly  representative  example 
of  American  humor.  Also  useful  for  its  pictures  of 
travel  and  its  shrewd  observations  on  men  and 
things. 
Taylor,  Bayard:  Views  Afoot.  Admirable  sketches  of 
European  life  and  customs. 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

.^"Thobeau,  Henky  D.:  Walden.  A  delightful  book  of 
out-of-door  life,  full  of  the  poetry  of  nature.  Tho- 
reau  still  remains  the  greatest  of  American  nature 
writers. 

*A  GrOOD  Brief  Anthology  of  English  Poetry.  There 
are  many  from  which  to  select.  Palgrave's  Golden 
Treasury  is  excellent  within  its  limits  —  including  only 
songs  and  lyrics  of  the  British  poets.  Whittier's  Songs 
of  Three  Centuries,  Longfellow's  Poems  of  Places,  and 
Emerson's  Parnassus  represent  the  poetry  which  appeals 
to  the  poet.  Browne's  Grolden  Poems  offers  a  wider 
selection,  including  many  popular  poems  not  usually 
found  in  anthologies.  Gayley  and  Flaherty's  Poetry  of 
the  People  is  made  up  almost  entirely  of  ballad  and  folk 
poems.  Sherwin  Cody's  Selections  from  the  Great 
English  Poets  represents,  as  its  title  indicates,  the  great 
i  poets,  and,  all  in  all,  is  perhaps  as  choice  a  selection  as 
■  has  ever  been  made.  These — particularly  the  last  — 
are  books  to  be  read  often,  and  kept  at  hand  for  refer- 
ence. 

Chesterfield:  Selected  Letters.  Full  of  good  counsel 
and  worldly  wisdom.  The  best  edition  is  that  edited 
by  Edwin  Ginn. 

♦Mungeb,  Theodore  T.:  On  the  Threshold.  Talks  to 
young  people  on  the  meaning  and  the  opportunities  of 
life.  An  inspirational  book  of  this  sort  should  be  made 
a  part  of  the  reading  course  of  every  boy  and  girl.  Dr. 
Hunger's  book  gives  the  key  to  character  building. 
Smiles's  Self-help  and  Mathews'  Getting  on  in  the 
World  are  also  excellent,  but  perhaps  place  a  Uttle  too 
much  emphasis  upon  "success"  as  an  incentive.  Bish- 
op Spalding's  Education  and  the  Higher  Life,  and 
Wilson's  Making  the  Most  of  Ourselves,  are  strong 
and  helpful. 

62 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

The  foregoing  list  comprises  about  two  hun- 
dred books,  somewhat  more  than  half  of  which 
are  starred.  In  reviewing  the  authors  repre- 
sented, a  few  of  the  great  names  of  literature 
will  be  missed, —  but  only  a  few,  and  those 
better  adapted  to  the  mature  mind  than  to  the 
child.  We  are  not  planning  that  the  boy  or 
girl  shall  finish  his  reading  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
but  that  he  shall  have  only  fairly  begun  it. 

It  may  perhaps  have  been  discovered  that  the 
underlpng  idea  of  the  course  is  to  give  the  child 
what  is  most  likely  to  interest  him  at  a  given 
age.  We  begin  with  the  nursery  jingles,  which 
fall  pleasantly  upon  the  ear  before  the  mind 
takes  much  thought  of  what  they  mean.  Then 
follow  the  fairy  tales»  commencing  as  soon  as 
the  child  can  understand  them,  and  continuing 
until  —  well,  it  is  doubtful  if  we  ever  grow  too 
old  for  fairy  tales.  With  the  fairy  stories  come 
the  fgibles  and  the  myths^  each  leading  in  a  dif- 
ferent direction.  The  fables,  in  which  con- 
versational animals  form  an  important  part, 
point  the  way  to  true  stories  of  animab, — 
stories  which  inspire  a  love  for  the  brute  crea- 
tion and  a  disposition  to  be  kind  toward  them; 
and  these,  in  turn,  bring  us  to  natural  history 
63 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

stories,  encouraging  the  scientific  impulse,  and 
leading  the  child  to  observe  and  investigate. 
The  myths,  on  the  other  hand,  lead  to  the 
ancient  legends,  which  are  semi-historic,  and 
they,  in  turn,  to  history.  It  will  be  seen  that 
the  reading  for  the  ninth  year  centres  about 
Greek  history,  for  the  tenth  about  Roman  his- 
tory, for  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  about  the  his-^ 
tory  of  England,  and  for  the  thirteenth  about 
American  history.  This  conserves  interest  and 
leads  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  readings. 
American  history  is  placed  at  about  the  age 
when  the  child  will  be  studying  it  in  school,  and 
the  reading  will  thus  furnish  side-lights  on  his 
study.  /  Stories  of  people  and  places,  the  begin- 
nings of  geography,  should  begin  at  about  the 
age  of  five  or  six,)  and  /^stories  of  travel  and  ad- 
venture, of  which  "  Robinson  Crusoe "  is  the 
first,  may  begin  a  year  later.  )  Poetry^  should  ex- 
tend from  Mothfir  Goose  to^hakespearei  Here 
we  have  all  the  elements  of  literature  for  chil- 
dren :  folk-lore  (including  fairy  tales,  fables,  and 
myths),  nature  stories,  geography,  history,  fic- 
tion, poetry.^  Arrange  them  as  your  boy  or  girl 
can  best  assimilate  them,  but  try  not  to  neglect 
any  side  of  the  course.  That  side  which  appeals 
64 


BOOKS  FOR  HOME  READING 

to  the  child's  temperament  will  naturally  occupy 
the  prominent  place,  but  all  should  receive 
some  attention  before  the  age  of  fifteen  has 
been  reached. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  list  makes  no  distinc-_ 
tion  between  books  for  boys  and  books  for 
girls.  Good  literature  is  universal  in  its  inter- 
ests. A  book  wliich  is  narrowed  down  to  any 
sex  or  class  is  not  properly  hterature  at  all.  It 
may  be  a  vehicle  for  technical  knowledge,  and 
therefore  useful,  but  in  so  far  as  it  is  technical 
or  exclusive,  it  loses  its  claim  to  literary  stand- 
ing. It  is  true  that  boys  are  attracted  to  stories 
about  boys,  and  girls  to  stories  about  girls,  but 
this  is,  after  all,  a  surface  attraction.  If  a 
book  is  human  it  is  interesting  to  either  sex;  if 
it  is  not  human  it  is  not  real  literature.  No 
girl  will  dechne  to  read  "GuUiver's  Travels" 
because  Gulliver  was  a  boy,  and  no  boy  will 
turn  from  "Alice  in  Wonderland"  because  Alice 
did  not  happen  to  be  Tom. 

I  have  said  nothing  about  books  of  applied 
science,  arts  and  crafts,  inventions,  and  amuse- 
ments.  These  are  not  literary,  and  do  not  find 
an  appropriate  place  in  a  course  of  reading 
where  parents  and  children  unite.  They  are» 
66 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

however,  important,  and  every  boy  and  girl 
should  be  provided  with  such  of  them  as  he 
needs.    Among  the  best  of  this  class  are : 

Sctence:  Holland's  Butterfly  Book,  Holland's  Moth 
Book,  Meadowcraft's  A  B  C  of  Electricity,  Taylor's 
Why  My  Photographs  are  Bad,  Holden's  The  Sciences. 

Manual  Training  and  Amusements  :  Beard's  American 
Boy's  Handy  Book,  Beard's  American  Girl's  Handy 
Book,  Beard's  Outdoor  Handy  Book,  White's  How  to 
Make  Baskets,  The  Boy  Craftsman,  Sloane's  Electric 
Toy-Making,  Hoffman's  Magic  at  Home,  Baker's  Boy's 
Book  of  Inventions,  Baker's  Boy's  Second  Book  of  In- 
ventions. 

Every  healthy  boy  and  girl  likes  to  work  with 
the  hands,  and  should  be  given  an  opportunity 
to  do  so.  It  is  as  important  to  keep  him  from 
becoming  abnormally  bookish  as  it  is  to  lead 
him  to  love  books.  A  work-bench,  a  butterfly- 
net,  a  box  of  raffia,  a  good  battery,  and  a  few 
such  books  as  I  have  mentioned  supply  the 
necessary  corrective. 


CHAPTER  IV 
READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

IN  all  our  courses  of  elementary  instruction, 
reading  is  quite  properly  awarded  the 
first  place.  It  is  the  one  fundamental  study. 
All  other  branches  depend  upon  it  for  the  very 
means  of  expression, —  for  oral  instruction  can 
at  best  play  but  a  small  part  in  any  general 
scheme  of  education.  Reading  is  thus  the  door 
to  learning,  the  gateway  into  that  Garden  of 
the  Hesperides,  where  golden  fruit  hangs  ready 
to  be  plucked, —  dragon-guarded,  it  is  true,  as 
everything  is  that  is  worth  the  having,  yet  within 
the  reach  of  him  who  has  the  will  to  take  and 
eat. 

Reading,  as  we  know  it  in  our  schools,  is  a 
twofold  study.  It  is  both  a  means  and  an  end. 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  the  formal  process  of 
translating  printed  characters  into  articulate 
speech.  The  image  of  the  word  upon  the  page 
is  thrown  on  the  retina  of  the  eye,  the  impres- 
sion is  carried  to  the  brain,  the  voice  receives 
an  impulse  from  the  will  and  gives  out  a  vocal 
67 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

symbol  corresponding  to  the  printed  symbol. 
Or  the  reading  may  be  silent,  and  the  voice  take 
no  part  in  the  process.  In  either  case,  we  have 
here  simply  the  mechanics  of  reading, —  a  sort 
of  reading  which  may  be  performed  without 
leaving  any  permanent  impression  on  the  brain, 
a  mere  expressing  of  one  symbol  in  terms  of 
another  without  appropriating  the  idea  for 
which  the  symbol  stands. 

But  enveloped  in  this  physical  mechanism  of 
nerve  and  muscle  is  that  which  gives  to  read- 
ing its  significance,  which  makes  it  worth  the 
acquisition.  One  does  not  read  in  the  true 
sense  unless  he  has  taken  possession  of  the 
ideas  which  the  printed  words  express.  And 
thus  it  is  that  when  we  speak  of  reading  we 
mean  not  only  the  reading,  but  the  thing  read, — 
not  only  the  process,  but  the  product  as  well. 

The  importance  of  reading  as  a  study  in  our 
schools  has  led  to  a  search  for  easy  methods, 
philosophic  methods,  all  sorts  of  methods  by 
which  the  child  may  be  inducted  into  its  de- 
hghts  and  mysteries.  The  evolution  of  the 
school  reading  book  forms  an  interesting  chap- 
ter in  the  history  of  education,  and  a  brief 
resume  of  the  steps  by  which  the  study  has 
68 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

reached  its  present  position  in  the  schools  may 
help  us  to  appreciate  what  we  now  have. 

The  first  reading  book  prepared  for  schools 
was  the  "horn-book,"  found  in  England  as  early 
as  A.  D.  1450.  It  was  properly  no  book  at  all, 
but  a  flat  piece  of  wood  with  a  handle,  like  a 
paddle.  On  its  face  was  pasted  a  sheet  of  paper, 
two  or  three  inches  wide  and  about  twice  as 
long,  upon  which  was  printed  the  alphabet  in 
both  large  and  small  letters,  the  vowels,  and 
several  columns  of  ab's,  eVs,  and  iVs,  followed 
by  the  rituaUstic  phrase,  "  In  the  Name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Amen," — the  whole  closing  with  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  Some  horn-books  had  certain  letters 
of  the  alphabet  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
giving  rise  to  the  expression,  "criss-cross  row," 
meaning  the  first  steps  in  learning  to  read. 
Others  had  a  rudely  engraved  Greek  cross, 
followed  by  the  letters  in  horizontal  rows.  The 
paper  was  protected  by  a  thin  sheet  of  horn, 
which  gave  the  device  its  name. 

A  variation  of  the  horn-book  was  the  battle- 
dore, originally  a  wooden  bat,  used  in  the  game 
of  battledore  and  shuttlecock,  somewhat  as  the 
racket  is  used  in  tennis.     It  was  of  soUd  wood. 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

and  in  shape  and  size  much  Uke  the  hom-book. 
The  similarity  suggested  to  some  ingenious 
teacher  the  idea  of  popularizing  the  art  of  learn- 
ing to  read  by  putting  the  alphabet  on  one  side 
of  the  bat.  Hence  the  battledore  became  a 
primer  as  well  as  a  means  of  sport,  and  later, 
when  primers  were  printed  on  cardboard  and 
on  paper,  the  name  battledore  was  retained  as 
the  name  of  the  printed  book. 

It  is  believed  that  the  battledore  never  made 
its  way  across  the  Atlantic,  but  we  know  that 
the  hom-book  was  used  in  our  early  Colonial 
schools  until  displaced  by  the  New  England 
Primer. 

Another  interesting  variation  of  the  hom- 
book  is  described  by  Prior  in  his  poem,  "  Alma; 
or,  The  Progress  of  the  Mind"  (1718). 

"To  Master  John  the  English  maid 
A  hom-book  gives,  of  gingerbread ; 
And  that  the  child  may  learn  the  better. 
As  he  can  name,  he  eats  each  letter. 
Proceeding  thus  with  vast  delight, 
He  spells  and  gnaws  from  left  to  right." 

This  form  of  acquiring  knowledge  is  similar 
to  that  advocated  by  the  German  educator, 
Basedow,  and  actually  carried  out  in  some 
schools  both  in  Germany  and  in  England, — 
70 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

the  making  of  cakes  with  a  letter  stamped  on 
each,  and  allowing  the  pupils  to  eat  their  alpha- 
bet as  they  mastered  it.  The  idea  is  in  line 
with  Bacon's  statement  that  there  are  certain 
kinds  of  literature  which  should  be  "chewed 
and  digested." 

It  is  significant  that  the  early  primers,  includ- 
ing the  hom-book,  were  intended  for  religious 
instruction.  The  church  and  the  school  were 
not  as  widely  separated  then  as  now,  and  the 
primer  was  the  vehicle  of  the  earliest  formal 
religious  teaching.  The  word  "primer"  is  de- 
rived from  "prime,"  the  first  canonical  hour 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  day. 

Henry  VIII  caused  the  issue  of  both  Catholic 
and  Protestant  primers  at  different  periods  of 
his  career;  Melanchthon  and  Luther  prepared 
primers,  Melanchthon's  beginning  with  the 
words  "  Philipp  Melanchthon  desires  the  salva- 
tion of  all  children,"  and  containing  the  alpha- 
bet, the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Ave  Maria,  several 
Psalms,  the  Commandments,  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  and  other  selections  from  the 
Scriptures. 

The  New  England  Primer  was  the  first  and 
most  important  school  book  printed  in  this 
71 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

country.  It  reflected  in  a  marked  degree  the 
Puritan  spirit  of  the  age  which  produced  it. 
The  book  opens  with  a  series  of  scriptural  quo- 
tations, and  closes  with  Mr.  Cotton's  catechism, 
quaintly  denominated,  "Spiritual  Milk  for 
American  Babes,  Drawn  from  the  Breasts  of 
Both  Testaments  for  their  Soul's  Nourish- 
ment." The  first  purpose  of  the  New  England 
Primer  was  to  instil  religious  doctrine  and  to 
build  character.  In  this  it  was  abundantly 
successful,  and  its  impress  was  left  upon  a  gen- 
eration of  sturdy  New  Englanders  who  have 
never  failed  to  give  credit  for  its  influence. 

The  New  England  Primer  was  first  pub- 
lished about  1690  by  Benjamin  Harris,  at  the 
London  Coffee  House  in  Boston,  and  held  a 
place  in  the  schools  of  this  country  for  more 
than  a  century  and  a  half,  though  the  last  half- 
century  was  a  period  of  gradual  decline.  A 
great  many  editions  were  printed,  by  various 
publishers,  each  pubUsher  changing  the  contents 
to  suit  his  own  religious  views  or  the  changing 
conditions  of  the  times.  The  first  editions 
contained  frightful  portraits  of  the  reigning 
English  sovereigns;  but  in  1776,  George  III 
was  displaced  by  John  Hancock,  and  a  few 
72 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

years  later  Hancock  gave  way  to  Washing- 
ton. 

About  a  hundred  years  after  the  issue  of  the 
New  England  Primer,  Noah  Webster's  Spelling 
Book,  familiarly  known  as  the  "Blue-back," 
was  published  at  Hartford  (1783).  This  was 
a  primer  and  reading  book  as  well  as  a  speller, 
and  practically  covered  the  ground  of  the  New 
England  Primer,  with  less  of  theology  and  more 
of  word  drill.  Children  read  no  longer  the 
harrowing  tale  of  Mr.  John  Rogers  consumed 
at  the  stake,  but  of  the  boy  who  stole  apples 
and  was  pelted  first  with  turf  and  then  with 
stones.  There  was  something  of  human  in- 
terest in  the  book,  though  the  formal  didactic 
element  was  still  strikingly  prominent. 

The  "Blue-back  Speller"  was  the  leading 
American  school  book  for  a  half-century  or 
more,  and  is  even  yet  found  occasionally  in 
some  of  the  backwoods  schools  of  the  South. 
It  is  estimated  that  more  than  eighty  millions 
of  copies  have  been  printed  and  sold.  Its  dis- 
tinguished author  also  issued  a  reader  "  calcu- 
lated to  improve  the  mind  and  refine  the  taste 
of  youth,  and  also  to  instruct  them  in  Geogra- 
phy, History  and  Politics  of  the  United  States." 
73 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

It  did  not,  however,  achieve  any  such  popular- 
ity as  that  gained  by  the  spelling  book,  and  was 
quite  overshadowed  by  the  English  Reader  of 
Lindley  Murray.  This  English  Reader  con- 
tained poetical  selections,  as  well  as  moral 
stories  and  rather  sombre  didactic  discussions. 
With  its  "Introduction,"  and  its  "Sequel,"  it 
formed  a  three-book  series,  the  first  graded 
series  of  readers  ever  printed.  Before  this 
time,  the  reading  book  which  followed  the 
primer  in  the  school  curriculum  was  always 
the  Bible. 

No  really  important  development  in  reading 
books  occurred  during  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  though  series  varying  in 
extent  from  three  to  seven  books  were  issued 
by  Picket,  Worcester,  Putnam,  Pierpont,  Cobb, 
Goodrich  ("Peter  Parley"),  Swan,  and  Tower. 
Pierpont's  series  emphasized  good  literature, 
while  Cobb's  made  the  first  successful  attempt 
tO/  grade  the  lessons,  and  placed  at  the  head  of 
each  lesson  the  new  words  to  be  found  therein. 

In  1850  appeared  McGuflFey's  Readers, — on 

the  whole,  the  most  successful  series  of  school 

reading  books  ever  published  in  this  country. 

They  united  the  literary  features  of  the  English 

74 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

Reader  and  the  grading  of  Cobb's,  the  moral 
tales  of  the  Blue-back  Spelling  Book  and  the 
didactics  of  the  New  England  Primer  —  all 
modified  and  modernized  to  suit  the  growing 
educational  needs  of  the  times.  Of  course, 
McGuffey  had  competitors,  and  within  a  dec- 
ade Sanders,  Hillard,  Parker  and  Watson, 
Marcius  Willson,  and  several  others  of  lesser 
note,  had  entered  the  field.  Willson  was  the 
only  one  who  oflFered  anything  new.  His  ambi- 
tious scheme  embraced  every  branch  of  knowl- 
edge known  to  man,  including  chemistry, 
zoology,  history,  physiology,  natural  philosophy, 
and  architecture.  The  moral  stories,  too,  were 
not  wanting  —  witness  the  downward  course 
of  "  Lazy  Slokin,"  who  becomes  successively  a 
loafer,  thief,  and  murderer,  and  drags  his  bane- 
ful career  through  four  or  five  lessons,  which 
alternate  with  scientific  disquisitions  upon  the 
claws  of  birds  and  the  breathing  of  fishes. 
Lazy  Slokin  was  one  of  my  first  literary  ac- 
quaintances, and  I  have  never  forgotten  him. 
School  readers  always  come  in  flocks. 
After  the  McGufFey-Sanders-Willson  period,'^ 
there  was  nothing  new  for  about  thirty 
years,  when  educational  progress  —  or  the 
75 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

competition  of  school-book  publishers  —  led  to 
another  era  of  production,  which  brought  forth 
Appleton's,  Barnes's,  the  New  Franklin,  and 
a  little  later  Harper's  and  Stickney's.  This 
group  held  the  field  until  the  beginning  of  the 
new  century.  Since  that  time  there  has  been 
a  more  marked  advance  than  at  any  period 
since  the  publication  of  the  McGuflPey  books. 

It  is  significant  that  all  the  older  books  em- 
phasized the  content,  and  paid  but  Uttle  attention 
to  the  means  by  which  the  content  was  secured. 
The  aim  was  to  teach  religion  or  morals  or 
Uterature  or  science,  and  the  pupil  learned  to 
read  by  reading.  But  with  the  growth  of  mod- 
em pedagogy  and  the  rise  of  the  analytic  spirit 
came  the  effort  to  smooth  the  path  of  learning 
by  improving  the  mechanical  process.  This 
resulted  in  a  more  careful  grading  of  the  selec- 
tions and  building  up  of  the  vocabulary,  fre- 
quent reviews  to  fix  the  knowledge  already 
gained,  the  introduction  of  object-lessons  and 
games,  and  the  dramatization  or  acting  out  of 
the  sentences  by  the  pupil. 

Modem  school  readers  are  of  many  kinds 
and  built  on  many  theories.  There  is  the 
mechanical  reader,  which  so  interests  itself  in 
7^ 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

the  means  of  teaching  to  read  that  it  provides 
absolutely  nothing  worth  the  reading.  There 
is  the  "useful  information"  reader,  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Marcius  Willson's  books,  which 
provides  knowledge  on  all  conceivable  subjects 
except  Uterature.  There  is  the  "nature 
reader,"  weakly  scientific  and  fancifully  poetic, 
which,  hke  the  flowers  of  which  it  treats,  has 
already  bloomed  and  is  fast  going  to  seed ;  and 
finally,  there  is  the  literary  reader,  which  aims 
to  introduce  the  child  to  the  best  that  has  been 
sung  or  told  by  poet  or  noveUst  or  historian  or 
orator,  and  which  not  only  provides  the  con- 
tent, but  develops  the  taste.  Fortunately,  the 
Uterary  reader  is  the  popular  one,  and  the  writer 
is  glad  to  believe  it  has  come  to  abide  with  us. 

But,  it  is  asked.  Is  there  no  place  for  nature 
stories  and  geography  stories  ?  Certainly,  and 
this  brings  us  to  the  point  where  we  must  differen- 
tiate between  basal  and  supplementary  readers. 

The  basal  reader,  as  has  already  been  said, 
should  be  Uterary,  and  yet  it  must  do  more  than 
provide  good  literature.  It  must  first  of  all 
teach  the  child  to  read.  When  it  has  done 
this,  it  must  introduce  him  to  the  great  writers 
and  guide  him  into  the  realm  of  books.  With 
77 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

the  amount  of  time  usually  devoted  to  reading 
in  the  school  curriculum,  it  requires  about  three 
years  to  learn  to  read,  and  the  best  basal 
reading  book  for  these  years  is  the  one  which 
teaches  the  pupil  the  most  quickly  and  the 
most  effectively  to  grasp  and  to  translate  the 
meaning  of  the  printed  page.  This  is  accom- 
pUshed  in  the  first  book  by  means  of  a  small 
vocabulary  of  common  words,  every  one  of 
which  is  repeated  again  and  again  in  different 
connections  and  combinations  until  the  pupil 
has  been  given  an  opportunity  to  thoroughly 
master  it.  In  the  second  and  third  books, 
the  vocabulary  is  gradually  extended,  becom- 
ing at  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  year  the 
vocabulary  of  culture, —  the  key  which  will 
enable  the  pupil  to  gain  access  to  the  simpler 
masterpieces  of  literature.  While  these  pri- 
mary books  are  necessarily  built  in  a  more  or 
less  mechanical  way,  and  upon  definite  con- 
structive Unes,  they  must  interest  the  child,  and 
must  not  appear  artificial.  As  the  highest  art 
is  to  conceal  art,  the  author  of  a  primer  must 
be  an  artist  as  well  as  a  bom  teacher.  For  it  is 
as  impossible  to  make  a  child  love  reading  when 
taught  by  purely  mechanical  means  as  it  is  to 
78 


READING  IN  THE  SCHOOL 

make  him  realize  the  beauty  of  the  snowy  heron 
by  showing  him  the  skeleton  of  one.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  quite  as  futile  to  expect  him  to 
leam  quickly  by  giving  him  stories  and  mem- 
ory gems  unless  there  is  beneath  them  a  well- 
defined  constructive  framework.  Our  fathers 
learned  without  this  aid,  but  they  learned  labo- 
riously, and  their  learning  was  not  unmixed 
with  tears. 

Teachers  differ  widely  as  to  the  value  of  a 
basal  reader  above  the  third  or  fourth  grade. 
Some  would  discard  it  altogether  at  that  point, 
and  devote  the  reading  period  thereafter  to 
extended  classics.  This  plan  has  somewhat 
of  merit  in  it,  but  it  fails  in  that  it  Umits  the 
child's  horizon  to  the  few  complete  pieces  of 
literature  which  he  is  able  to  read  in  the  class- 
room. A  good  basal  reader  above  the  third 
grade  is  not  an  end  in  itself.  It  does  not  supply 
all  the  Uterature  that  the  pupil  should  read,  but 
is  a  guide  and  an  inspiration,  opening  to  him 
new  doors  and  giving  him  examples  of  the  work 
of  the  world's  best  writers,  as  well  as  a  desire  to 
read  and  know  them  better.  Shorter  poems 
and  a  few  brief  prose  classics  may  be  given 
entire,  but  in  most  cases  an  extract  must  suffice, 
79 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

an  extract,  however,  which  should  be  a  com- 
plete unit  in  itself,  while  it  is  a  part  of  the  larger 
unit  which  embraces  it.. 

When  we  come  to  supplementary  reading 
the  field  is  wide.  Here  we  have  a  choice  of 
literature,  biography,  history,  geography,  na- 
ture study,  and  the  arts  and  sciences.  The 
books,  however,  which  give  inspiration  rather 
than  merely  knowledge  are  the  only  ones  which 
should  be  admitted  to  the  reading  period.  De 
Quincey  has  classified  all  books  as  books  of 
knowledge  and  books  of  power.  The  classifi- 
cation is  a  most  useful  one.  We  need  in  the 
reading  class  the  books  of  power.  Readings  in 
geography  and  science  are  good,  but  they  should 
either  be  confined  to  the  period  assigned  to 
those  branches  or  be  given  a  separate  period. 
The  reading  hour  should  be  devoted  to  the 
acquisition  of  culture,  a  culture  broad  enough 
to  include  both  taste  and  character, —  and  this 
is  gained  from  an  acquaintance  with  the  great 
masters  of  Uterature.  No  merely  scientific  or 
instructive  book  should  be  allowed  to  usurp 
the  place  of  the  book  which  touches  the  heart. 
The  meaning  of  all  true  literature,  as  Carlyle 
says  of  the  meaning  of  song,  "goes  deep." 
80 


CHAPTER  V 
SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

T  ^  THEN  we  attempt  to  classify  our  literary 
▼  V     material  for    supplementary    reading, 
we  find  that  it  falls  broadly  under  six  heads: 
(1)  folk-lore,  including  fairy  or  wonder  tales, 
fables,  myths,  and  legends  —  all  of  which  intro- 
duce the  supernatural  element;    (2)    inspira-    * 
tional  books  of  biography  and  history,  such  as 
may  justly  be  considered  "books  of  power"; 
(3)  a  similar  class  of  nature  books,  including 
essays  and  sketches  of  out-of-door  hfe;  (4)  trav- 
els, described  with  literary  skill — not  including  y' 
the  ordinary  geographical  readers;  (5)  simple   i- 
interpretative  books  on  art;  and  (6)  fiction.       /_ 

The  fairy  tale  is  the  natural  beginning  of 
literature.  It  is  as  old  as  the  world,  and  as  wide. 
There  has  been  no  country  or  age  which  has 
not  delighted  in  the  thought  of  spirits  in  the 
earth  and  air  and  sea, —  beings  powerful  either 
for  good  or  ill,  who  interest  themselves  in  human 
affairs.  The  poet  sees  in  them  the  personifica- 
tion of  the  forces  of  nature;  the  scholar  sees 
81 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

remnants  of  religious  ideas,  of  ancient  divini- 
ties; the  child  sees  simply  wonderful  creatures 
which  are  yet  quite  real  to  him,  and  which  walk 
and  talk  and  live  with  him  —  the  good  fairies 
on  terms  of  delightful  intimacy,  the  bad  suffer- 
ing his  cordial  detestation.  To  most  children, 
the  fairy  tale  brings  the  first  clear  distinction 
between  good  and  evil,  and  thus  is  effective  in 
awakening  and  developing  the  moral  sense. 
You  may  weary  the  child  with  platitudes  re- 
garding right  and  wrong,  but  you  cannot  tell 
him  of  Cinderella  without  arousing  his  anger 
at  the  selfishness  and  injustice  of  the  step- 
sisters, and  making  him  rejoice  in  the  final 
triumph  of  the  modest  girl  who  did  her  duty. 

There  is  a  class  of  well-meaning  but  unimagi- 
native persons, — and  some  teachers  are  found 
among  them,  we  are  sorry  to  say, —  who  have 
declared  war  upon  fairy  tales, —  preferring  to 
teach  their  children  useful  facts  about  the  rain- 
fall in  Kamchatka,  or  the  chemical  constituents 
of  the  blood.  The  writer  attended  recently  a 
teachers'  convention  in  a  Western  State,  and 
heard  an  address  in  which  the  speaker  urged  the 
banishment  of  fairy  stories  from  the  school- 
room, arguing  with  Mr.  Gradgrind,  that  it  is  the 
82 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

business  of  the  school  to  teach  facts,  not  fancies. 
His  peroration  closed  with  the  triumphant 
challenge,  "What  is  a  fairy?  Give  me  the 
definition  of  a  fairy!"  Ah,  my  benighted 
friend,  do  you  not  know  there  are  some  things 
so  fine  as  to  elude  definition  ?  If  in  your  youth- 
ful days  you  had  read  more  fairy  tales,  you 
would  have  been  a  wiser  and  a  better  man 
to-day. 

The  fairy  tale  is  the  heritage  of  every  child. 
It  is  the  food  which  nourishes  his  spirit,  the 
force  which  gives  wings  to  his  soul.  Out  of  it 
come  the  influences  which  sweeten  and  deepen 
life,  for  it  strengthens  the  imaginative  faculties, 
and  without  imagination  life  is  at  best  a  dreary 
thing.  As  we  grow  older,  it  is  true,  the  friends 
of  our  story-books  may  be  forgotten,  and  their 
adventures  cease  to  interest  us;  but  they  have 
done  their  work  in  our  hearts,  and  we  pass 
almost  unconsciously  from  the  Hansel  and 
Gretel,  whose  joy  is  in  a  magic  house  of  sugar 
plums,  to  the  Beatrice  who  leads  her  poet- 
lover  to  the  gates  of  Paradise. 

The  fairy  tales  which  first  claim  the  child's 
attention  are  those  old  favorites  of  the  nursery 
which  were  venerable  when  Perrault  collected 
83 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

them,  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago, —  The 
Sleeping  Beauty,  Cinderella,  Little  Red  Riding 
Hood,  Puss  in  Boots,  Tom  Thumb,  and  others. 
They  might  perhaps  better  be  called  wonder 
stories,  for  fairies  do  not  appear  in  all  of  them, 
though  all  contain  the  supernatural  element. 
With  these  stories  should  be  included  other 
popular  tales,  of  English  origin  and  of  more 
recent  date, —  Jack  and  the  Bean  Stalk,  Jack 
the  Giant  Killer,  The  Three  Bears,  etc.;  also 
the  German  folk-tales  of  Reynard  the  Fox. 
All  these  are  useful  for  supplementary  reading 
in  first  and  second  year.  The  content  is  famil- 
iar to  the  child,  and  this  famiharity  helps  him 
to  translate  the  printed  text.  He  has,  too,  the 
pleasure  of  rediscovering  in  the  reading  book 
his  old  nursery  friends.  Many  good  school 
editions  of  these  stories  are  obtainable.  Among 
/  the  best  are  Miss  Grover's  "Folk-Lore  Primer," 
1  Wiltse's  "  Folklore  Stories  and  Proverbs,"  ^ 
I  O'Shea's  "Six  Nursery  Classics,"  and  Smythe's  . 
"Reynard  the  Fox,"  for  first  grade;  Scuddcr's 
"Fables  and  Folk  Stories,"  Baldwin's  "Fairy  -\ 
Stories  and  Fables,"  Perrault's  "Tales  of 
Mother  Goose,"  O'Shea's  "Old  Worid  Wonder 
Stories,"  and  Blaisdell's  "  Child  Life  in  Tale 
V        -  84 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

and  Fable,"  for  second  grade.     "The  Heart  of - 
Oak  Books,"  I  and  II,  edited  by  Dr.  Charles 
Eliot  Norton,  also  contain  a  choice  collection 
of  fairy  tales,  fables,  and  rhymes  for  the  first 
two  grades. 

The  next  and  most  characteristic  group  of 
fairy  tales  comprises  Grimm's  and  Andersen's. 
Some  of  them  in  simphfied  form  are  included 
in  the  books  already  mentioned,  but  in  their 
entirety  they  are  best  adapted  to  third  and 
fourth  grades.  Grimm's  tales  are  genuine 
folk-lore,  the  tales  of  the'people,  most  of  them 
very  old,  and  some  of  them  the  common  pos- 
session of  many  nations.  They  are  Grimm's 
only  in  the  sense  that  the  Brothers  Grimm 
collected  and  published  them.  The  tales  are 
of  unequal  value,  as  is  always  the  case  with 
folk-stories,  many  of  them  being  coarse  and 
absolutely  harmful  in  their  influence.  Good 
school  editions,  containing  only  the  best,  are 
issued  l)y  the  leading  educational  publishers. 
Miss  Wiltse's,  in  two  volumes,  and  the  "River- 
side" Grimm  are  particularly  good. 

Andersen's  stories   differ  from  Grimm's  in 
that  they  are  original.     Although  the  author 
drew   his   material    from    many   sources   and 
85 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

utilized  the  machinery  and  sometimes  the  inci- 
dents of  the  old  folk-tales,  he  so  wrought  them 
over  and  infused  them  with  his  own  peculiar 
genius  that  he  made  of  them  something  essen- 
tially new.  The  moral  effect  was  ever  present 
in  his  thoughts,  and  there  is  in  his  tales  none 
of  the  grossness  so  often  found  in  Grimm's. 

The  next  important  wonder  story  is  Ruskin's 
O  **King  of  the  Golden  River,"  adapted  to  fifth 
and  sixth  grades, —  a  tale  of  transparent  beauty 
and  a  model  of  English  style. 
(J-  Kingsley's  "  Water  Babies,"  of  about  the 
same  grade,  introduces  the  child  to  the  wonders 
of  life  in  river  and  sea.  It  is  not  so  important 
for  its  natural  history  —  which  is  often  quite 
fanciful  —  as  for  its  beautiful  lesson  of  help- 
fulness, and  its  rare  literary  charm. 

Following  this,  and  suitable  for  sixth  or  sev- 
enth grade,  is  Bunyan's  "Pilgrim's  Progress." 
This  is  classed  as  a  wonder  story,  because 
the  wonder  element  in  it  is  that  which  makes 
it  popular  with  children.  The  allegory  is  but 
dimly  understood  and  the  theology  makes 
little  impression.  But  Apollyon  and  Giant 
Despair  and  the  Celestial  City  and  the  Shining 
Ones  by  the  river  are  never  forgotten.  The 
86 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

quaintness  and  vigor  of  the  diction,  too,  are 
not  lost  upon  children.  This  great  classic 
should  be  read  in  schools  far  more  than  at 
present. 

If  I  were  asked  to  name  a  half-dozen  other 
wonder  tales  of  the  highest  value,  I  should 

select:     (1)  Collodi's  "  Pinocchio "  — third  to  -O 

sixth  grade  —  an  Italian  classic  full  of  human 
nature  and  shrewd  appreciation  of  boy  life;  (2) 
Lewis  Carroll's  delightfully  absurd  and  ever- 
popular  "AKce's  Adventures  in  Wonderland  " < 

fourth  to  sixth  grade;  (3)  Baron  de  la  Motte 
Fouqud's  romantic  story  of  "Undine  " — sixth  to 
eighth"graae;  (4)  Swift's  "  GulUver's  Travels," 
full  of  strange  situations  and  amazing  dispro- 
portions—  fifth  and  sixth  grades;  (5)  the 
"Arabian  Nights,"  with  its  rich  flavor  of  Orieo.  O 
talism  and  its  mingling  of  the  natural  and  the 
supernatural  —  fifth  to  eighth  grade;  and  (6) 
Irving's  "  Rip  Van  Winkle," —  sixth  to  eighth  - — O 
grade. 

The  fable  differs  from  the  fairy  tale  in  hav- 
ing a  distinct  moral  purpose.  The  fairy  tale 
may  have  such  a  purpose,  as  in  the  case  of  most 
of  Andersen's  stories  and  Ruskin's  "  King  of 
the  Golden  River,"  but  the  purpose  is  subor- 
87 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

dinated  to  the  story.  In  the  fable,  however, 
the  moral  is  paramount.  Again,  the  fable  rarely 
introduces  supernatural  beings,  as  does  the  fairy 
tale;  its  only  departure  from  the  natural  is  in 
giving  to  animals,  and  occasionally  to  in- 
animate objects,  the  characteristics  and  powers 
of  men. 

The  best  known  fables^  are  usually  called 
by  the  name  of  iE^jop,  though  it  is  probable 
that  iEsop  is  responsible  for  very  few  of  them. 
As  Thackeray  says,  in  his  preface  to  "The  New- 
comes,"  "Asses  under  lions'  manes  roared  in 
Hebrew;  and  sly  foxes  flattered  in  Etruscan; 
and  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing  gnashed  their 
teeth  in  Sanskrit,  no  doubt."  iEsop  perhaps 
introduced  fables  into  Greece,  and  may  have 
made  a  few  himself;  but  the  fable  idea  has 
been  traced  back  to  the  Buddhist  teachers  of 
India,  who  formed  their  stories  upon  the  model 
of  the  old  beast-tale  of  primitive  folk-lore, 
making  it  the  vehicle  of  moral  truth.  La  Fon- 
taine's fables  are  partly  iEsopic  (which  is 
to  say,  Greek)  and  partly  Arabic.  But  both 
the  Greek  and  Arabic  came  from  India,  as  did 
also  the  Syriac  and  the  Persian.  Thus  from 
whatever  point  we  begin,  we  may  trace  our 
88 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

way  back  to  the  plains  of  the  Indus  and  to 
the  beginnings  of.  Aryan  civilization.  The 
history  of  the  fable  is  almost  coincident  with 
the  life  of  the  race. 

/Like  all  primitive  Uterature,  the  _fable  is 
particularly  suited  to  children.^  It  is  simple, 
dramatic,  satisfies  the  sense  of  justice,  ~an3^ 
carries  with  it  a  moral  idea.  Authors  of  school 
reading  books,  recognizing  its  adaptability 
to  the  very  young,  make  use  of  it  frequently 
in  first  and  second  readers.  The  folk-lore 
readers  which  have  been  mentioned  for  first 
and  second  grades  contain  fables  as  well  as 
wonder  stories.  For  third  grade,  the  best  col- 
lection of  fables  is  perhaps  that  in  the  series 
of  "Classics  for  Children,"  which  is  called 
iEsop's,  but  wliich  includes  in  a  supplement 
some  of  La  Fontaine's,  in  EngUsh  verse,  and 
several  of  the  Russian  fables  of  Krilof.  Edi- 
tions are  also  pubhshed  in  Maynard's  "English 
Classics"  and  in  the  series  of  supplementary 
readers  issued  by  the  Educational  Publishing 
Company. 

The  myth  is  tlie  fairy  tale  of  primitive  peo- 
ples,—  a  fairy  tale  with  a  meaning  so  deep  that 
it  embraces  all  the  religion,  philosophy,  and 
89 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

science  of  antiquity.  Those  grown-up  children 
of  former  times  saw  more  profoundly  than 
we  into  the  poetry  of  nature  and  peopled  their 
world  with  beings  that  cast  no  shadow  in  the 
sun.  The  myths  are  primitive  poetry,  and 
though  our  children  may  not  altogether  under- 
stand them,  we  fancy  that  they  come  more  closely 
into  sympathy  with  them  than  many  of  us 
grown-ups.  Myths,  too,  are  the  natural  Utera- 
ture  of  childhood.  The  child  delights  in  them, 
and  in  familiarizing  himself  with  them  is  pre- 
paring to  appropriate  and  to  enjoy  in  later 
years  the  fruits  of  the  highest  imaginative  litera- 
ture, for  without  a  knowledge  of  mythology 
he  will  find  himself  upon  the  sea  of  letters  like 
a  ship  without  a  chart. 

The  myths  of  most  pronounced  literary  value 
come  to  us  from  the  Greeks  and  from  the 
Norsemen.  They  have  been  interpreted  by 
the  greatest  scholars  and  retold  by  the  most 
famous  writers  of  all  time.  The  Greek  m)i;hs 
are  more  deUcate  than  the  Norse,  and  reflect 
the  intellectual  and  poetic  characteristics  of 
the  race  which  produced  them.  There  is 
nothing  at  all  approaching  Athene  in  the  my- 
thology of  any  other  people,  nothing  so  poetic 
90 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

as  Phoebus  Apollo,  nothing  as  significant  as 
Proserpina.  As  the  Greeks  surpassed  all  other 
peoples  in  their  art,  so  their  myths  surpass  all 
others  in  artistic  feeling. 

Of   Greek   myths   the   best  collections   for 
school  reading  are,  probably:     For  third  and 
fourth  grades,  Francillon's  "Gods  and  Heroes,"        o 
Baldwin's  "Old  Greek  Stories,"  and  Peabody's  - 


^ 


"Old  Greek  Folk  Stories'*;  somewhat  more  ad- 1  ^ 
vanced,  and  better  adapted  to  fifth  and  sixth 
grades,    Hawthorne's    "Wonder  Book"   and\     ^ 
"Tanglewood     Tales,'*    Kingsley's     "Greek  ^.^ 
Heroes,"  Church's  "Stories  of  the  Old  World," 
Shaw's  "  Stories  of  the  Ancient  Greeks  "  (con-  [       ^ 
taining  Greek  history  stories  as  well  as  the  \ 
myths),  and  Lamb's  "Adventures  of  Ulysses";  ) 
for    seventh    and    eighth    grades.    Professor 
Palmer's  incomparable    prose    translation    of 
the  Odyssey,  and  Bryant's  poetic  versions  of 
both  the  Odyssey  and  Iliad. 

The  Norse  myths,  while  inferior  to  the  Greek 
in  refinement,  are  preeminent  in  strength 
and  vitaUty.  They  represent  great  elemental 
forces  struggling  with  each  other  and  gradu- 
ally emerging  out  of  chaos.  Though  confused, 
they  are  full  of  dramatic  power.  Odin,  drink- 
91 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

ing  from  his  mighty  mead  horn  in  Valhalla 
and  eating  of  the  flesh  of  the  boar  Serimnir, 
is  a  veritable  savage  as  compared  with  Zeus, 
but  he  moves  in  an  atmosphere  that  is  alive 
and  stirring  with  gigantic  mysteries,  half  seen  " 
and  dimly  understood.  Thor  with  his  hammer, 
Idun  with  her  magic  apples,  Loki  with  his 
tricks  and  schemings,  are  strangely  fascinating 
to  the  child,  and  the  very  crudity  of  these  figures 
brings  them  closer  to  him,  for  they  are  child- 
Uke. 
/  Of  Norse  myths,  the  best  elementary  book 
is  probably  Miss  Smythe's  "  Old  Time  Stories — D 
Retold,"  containing  also  several  Greek  myths. 
This  may  be  used  as  early  as  second  grade. 
For  intermediate  grades  many  good  books 
are  issued, —  Keary's  "Heroes  of  Asgard," 
Holbrook's  "Northland  Heroes,"^ "Sradish's  ^ 
"Old  Norse  Stories,"  Hall's  "Viking  Tales," 
Foster  and  Cummings's  "Asgard  Stories,"  and 
Litchfield's  "  Nine  Worlds,"  For  grammar 
grades,  no  other  treatment  of  the  subject  ap- 
proaches Hamilton  W.  Mabie's  "Norse  Stories 

Retold  from  the  Eddas." ^—  q 

The  Norse  myths  may  well  be  made  to  in- 
clude the  "  Nibelungenlied,'  that  great  German 
92 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

epic  of  the  thirteenth  century,  for  it  is  only 
a  German  variation  of  the  old  Norse  saga  of 
the  Volsungs.  The  Norse  hero  Sigurd  be- 
comes, in  the  German,  Siegfried,  Gudrun  is 
Kriemhild,  and  Brynhild,  the  Valkyrie,  is 
Brunhild.  The  stories  of  Siegfried  adapted 
to  school  use  come  to  us  mainly  through  Wag- 
ner's  interpretation  of  the  character  in  his 
cycle  of  music  dramas.  Wagner's  Siegfried 
is  altogether  a  nobler  character  than  the  Sigurd 
of  the  old  Norse  myth.  With  the  Nibelungen 
stories  we  usually  find  the  stories  of  Wagner's 
other  heroes,  Parsifal  and  Lohengrin,  though 
these  are  connected  rather  with  the  Arthurian 
legends,  of  which  we  shall  speak  later.  The 
best  collection  of  Wagner  stories  for  the  lower 
grades  is  Miss  Menefee's  "  Child  Stories  from  ^ 
the  Masters,"  which  contains  a  number  of  other 
tales  as  well,  and  is  adapted  to  third  or  fourth 
grade.  Miss  Pratt's  "Stories  from  Old  Ger-  ^ 
many,"  also'good,  is  a  Uttle  more  advanced. 
Fc:-  teachers,  Baldwin's  "Story  of  Siegfried" 
will  be  found  useful,  also  Skinner's  "  Readings 
in  Folk  Lore,"  which  affords  a  wealth  of  mate- 
rial for  stories,  conversation,  and  language  work 
on  the  myths,  fables,  and  legends  of  the  North. 
93 


/ 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

More  naive  and  childlike  than  either  Greek 
or  Norse  myths,  and  fully  their  equal  in  pic- 
turesqueness,  are  the  Indian  myths  of  our  own 
country  —  a  peculiar  product  of  wild,  free, 
barbaric,  out-of-door  life. 

' '  With  the  odors  of  the  forest, 
With  the  dew  and  damp  of  meadows. 
With  the  curling  smoke  of  wigwams. 
With  the  rushing  of  great  rivers." 

Every  American  boy  and  girl  should  make  the 
acquaintance  of  the  most  important,  at  least, 
of  these  Indian  spirits.  Coyote,  the  thinker 
and  creator,  Iktomi,  the  spider  fairy,  Kwasind, 
the  strong  man,  Pau-Puk-Keewis,  the  storm 
wind,  and,  most  important  of  all,  Hiawatha, 
the  teacher  and  benefactor  of  his  people.  These 
myths  vary  greatly  among  the  different  Indian 
tribes,  are  often  contradictory,  and  do  not  form 
a  consistent  system  of  mythology,  as  do  those 
of  the  Greeks  and  Norsemen.  But  they  are 
wonderfully  interesting  to  children  and  breathe 
the  poetry  of  the  wild. 

The  best  introduction  to  Indian  myths  is 

Miss  Holbrook's  "Hiawatha  Primer,"  which 

can  be  used  in  the  first  grade.     While  reading 

this,  children  may  be  encouraged  to  make  wig- 

94 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

warns  and  canoes  out  of  bark  or  paper,  pine- 
trees  out  of  wood  and  cardboard,  tomahawks, 
peace-pipes,  bows  and  arrows,  moccasins,  and 
all  sorts  of  articles  of  Indian  dress,  warfare, 
and  domestic  utility,  out  of  such  materials  as 
lend  themselves  most  easily  to  the  purpose. 
Children  need  such  busy  work  to  assist  them 
in  picturing  out  the  scenes,  for  though  imagi- 
native, their  imagination  is  not  of  the  abstract 
kind  which  forms  its  concepts  without  reference 
to  environment,  but  rather  of  that  simpler  sort, 
which  invests  humble  materials  with  the 
attributes  of  romance.  The  child,  after  all, 
cannot  get  an  image  of  a  spear  unless  he  has 
a  stick  to  build  it  on. 

To  follow  the  hne  of  interest  awakened  in  the 
"  Hiawatha  Primer,"  I  know  of  nothing  better 
for  second  grade  than  the  same  author's  "Book 
of  Nature  Myths."  These  are  mainly  Indian, 
though  a  few  Greek  and  Japanese  myths  are 
included.  For  third  year.  Miss  Chandler's 
book  of  the  Indian  myths  of  the  Pacific  Coast, 
"In  the  Reign  of  Coyote,"  is  of  interest  and 
value.  It  introduces  another  class  of  myths, 
in  which  animals  are  the  chief  characters, 
whereas  the  myths  of  the  Dakotahs,  which 
96 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

form  the  basis  of  the  Hiawatha  cycle,  are  for 
the  most  part  men  personifying  natural  forces. 
The   animal   myths   or  beast-tales   are   more 
childlike  than  the  human  myths,  and  represent 
a  more  primitive  mode  of  thought.     In  fourth 
and  fifth  grades,  Hiawatha  may  be  read,  com- 
plete, from  Longfellow's  text.     Pratt's  "Leg-^^i^ 
ends  of  the  Red  Children "  and  Zitkala-Sa's  / 
"  Old  Indian  Legends  "  also  furnish  good  sup- 
plementary matter  for  these  grades.     A  book 
of  Indian  lore  which  will  prove  invaluable  to 
the  teacher  is  Schoolcraft's  "Algic  Researches."  '■/'' 
Its  title  is  somewhat  formidable,  but  its  con- 
tents thoroughly  delightful.     It  is  the  treasure- 
house  from  which  Longfellow  drew  most  of  his 
material  for  "  Hiawatha,"  and  which  has  been 
consulted  by  all  writers  on  Indian  tradition 
and  history.     Much  Indian  folk-lore  is  woven 
into  Cooper's  great  romances,  "The  Leather 
Stocking   Tales,"   at   least    one    of   which  —    ^ 
usually    "The   Last   of  the    Mohicans"  —  is  ^ 
taken  up  in  the  literature  work  of  the  high 
school. 

Closely  alUed  to  the  myth  and  often  insep- 
arably  connected  with  it  is  the  legend.     Al- 
though in  our  modern  collections  Uttle  if  aiiy 
96 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

distinction  is  made  between  the  two,  they 
differ  in  this:  that  the  myih.  is  wholly  the 
product  of  the  imagination  —  often  developed 
from  the  phenomena  of  nature  or  from  the 
inbom  idea  of  divinity,  while  the  legend  is 
based  upon  historic  fact.  The  legend  stands 
chronologically  between  the  myth  and  authen- 
tic history.  The  stories  of  Zeus  and  Athene, 
Thor  and  Loki,  Mondamin  and  Hiawatha,  are 
myths,  but  those  of  Agamemnon  and  Odys- 
seus, Horatius  and  Scsevola,  Roland  and 
Oliver,  Arthur  and  Robin  Hood,  are  legends, 
some  with  more  and  some  with  less  of  historic 
authenticity,  but  all  developed  from  a  germ  of 
historic  truth. 

The  Greek  legends  are  so  interwoven  with 
the  myths  that  we  have  not  attempted  to  sepa- 
rate them  but  have  included  them  all  under 
the  head  of  m3i;hs.  We  cannot  tell  whether 
the  Argonauts  ever  sailed  to  Colchis,  or 
whether  Odysseus  ever  entered  Troy.  Roman 
legends  are  somewhat  more  distinct,  and  ap- 
proach more  nearly  the  historic.  Here  we 
have  the  figures  of  Romulus  and  Remus,  of 
Horatius,  of  Cincinnatus,  of  Mucins  Scaevola, 
of  Virginius,  of  Marcus  Curtius,  and  many 
97 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

others  whose  deeds  of  heroism  or  of  prowess 
form  an  interesting  introduction  to  Roman 
history.    A  few  of  these  tales  are  found  in 

Qi--JBaldwin's  "Fifty  Famous  Stories  Retold," 
adapted  to  third  grade.  The  "  Story  of  iEneas," 
good  for  fifth  or  sixth  grade,  is  in  Church's 

^ L  "Stories  of  the  Old  Worid,"  together  with  the 

Greek  stories  of  the  Argonauts,  Thebes,  Troy, 
and  the  adventures  of  Ulysses.  Church's 
"  Story  of  iEneas  "  is  also  pubUshed  separately 
in  Maynard's  "EngUsh  Classics."  Clarke's 
"Story  of  iEneas"  covers  the  same  ground  and 
is  of  about  the  same  degree  of  difficulty.  Guer- 
i  ber's  "Story  of  the  Romans"  includes  nearly 
all  the  Roman  legends,  with  a  simple  treatment 
of  Roman  history.  It  may  be  used  in  sixth 
grade.  Macaulay's  "  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome  "  v 
—  giving  in  verse  the  legend  of  Horatius,  "  The 
Battle  of  Lake  Regillus,"  "The  Sacrifice  of 
Virginia,"  and  "The  Prophecy  of  Capys," 
may  be  read  easily  in  seventh  and  eighth  grades, 
are  full  of  the  heroic  spirit  of  a  primitive  people, 
and,  aside  from  their  legendary  value,  are  gems 
of  English  verse. 

The  most  important  mediaeval  legends  are 
those  of  King  Arthur,  Robin  Hood,  Roland,  and 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

Tell.  The  Arthurian  cycle  of  tales  forms  the 
finest  and  most  inspiring  group  of  legends  to 
be  found  anywhere  in  Uterature.  They  are  not 
only  of  intense  interest  and  rare  poetic  value, 
but  are  so  interpenetrated  with  the  spirit  of 
chivalry  that  children  find  them  an  inspiration 
to  right  thinking  and  noble  living.  Courage, 
generosity,  politeness,  consideration  for  the 
weak,  and  self-respect  before  the  strong,  a  high 
sense  of  honor  and  a  steadfast  devotion  to  duty, 
— in  a  word,  all  that  goes  to  make  up  true  man- 
liness, is  found  in  these  old  tales  without  a  hint 
of  moralizing,  but  as  a  series  of  beautiful  and 
noble  pictures  to  be  admired  and  remembered 
forever.  There  is  nothing  finer  than  the  glow 
of  noble  enthusiasm  with  which  a  boy  follows 
the  fortunes  of  these  old  Knights  of  the  Round 
Table.  Sir  Launcelot,  Sir  Gareth,  Sir  Tris- 
tram, Sir  Percival,  Sir  Galahad,  come  to  be 
real  personages  to  him,  and  he  gives  to  them 
a  devotion  which  lifts  his  own  Ufe  and  motives 
upon  a  higher  plane. 

Malory's  "Morte  d'Arthur,"  that  rare  old 

English  classic  with  its  sweet  smack  of  Norman 

French,  is  the  source  from  which  we  derive  our 

modem  versions  of  the  Arthurian  tales.    It  is 

99 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

the  source,  too,  from  which  Tennyson  drew  his 
exquisitely  poetic  "Idylls  of  the  King,"  and  is 
a  book  which  no  imaginative  person  can  fail  to 
love.  Sidney  Lanier  has  purged  it  of  its  dross, 
arranged  its  somewhat  scattered  chapters  in 
systematic  form,  translated  some  of  its  more 
obscure  archaisms,  and  issued  it  as  "  The  Boy's 
King  Arthur."  It  is  a  large  book,  and  unsuited 
to  class  use,  but  is  a  mine  of  pure  gold  to  the 
teacher. 

The  most  important  legends  of  the  Arthurian 

I  cycle  are  available  in  cheap  and  convenient 
editions.  Frances  Nimmo-Greene's  "  King  Ar- 
thur and  his  Court,"  Miss  Radford's  "King 
Arthur  and  his  Knights,"  and  Louise  Maitland's 
"Heroes  of  Chivalry"  are  the  best  collections 
for  school  use.  They  are  adapted  to  fifth  or 
sixth  grade.  Lowell's  "  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal," 
may  well  be  read  in  eighth  grade  as  a  modem 
interpretation  of  the  legends  of  the  Grail, 
g  Miss  Maitland's  book, "  Heroes  of  Chivalry," 
contains,  in  addition  to  the  Arthurian  stories, 
the  best  short  account  with  which  I  am  famil- 
iar of  Roland,  the  French  hero  who  showed 
a  close  spiritual  relationship  to  King  Arthur's 
Knights,  and  who  followed  them,  in  point  of 
100 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

time,  a  little  more  than  two  centuries.  The 
story  of  Roland  is  told  with  greater  detail  by 
Mr.  Baldwin  in  a  somewhat  bulky  book,  ex- 
cellent for  teachers'  use,  but  unsuitable  for  class. 
Of  particular  value  also  for  the  teacher  or 
for  class  reading  in  the  higher  grades  is  the 
prose  translation  of  "The  Song  of  Roland,"  V^ 
issued  in  the  "Riverside  Literature  Series." 

Far  inferior  to  the  legends  of  King  Arthur 
and  of  Roland  are  those  of  Robin  Hood,  yet 
they  have  their  place  in  literature.  The  Merry 
Men  of  Sherwood  Forest  are  brave,  generous, 
and  good-natured,  though  they  possess  no 
very  high  order  of  virtue.  They  live  in  the 
woods,  a  happy,  careless,  improvident  life, 
robbing  from  the  rich  and  giving  to  the  poor. 
The  stories  suggest  fresh  air  and  green,  growing 
things,  fun,  ease,  and  freedom.  The  very  law- 
lessness of  it  all  is  quite  fascinating  to  children 
—  for  children  are  impatient  of  restraint,  and 
a  heroic  robber  who  sleeps  out  of  doors  appeals 
strongly  to  them.  No  one  can  deny  the  charm 
of  the  Robin  Hood  tales,  yet  I  cannot  quite 
agree  with  those  who  laud  them  for  their  moral 
influence.  Their  value  is  at  best  literary  and 
historic.  Howard  Pyle's  or  Eva  March  Tap- 
101 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

pan's  book  in  the  hands  of  the  teacher  will 
supply  the  materials  for  an  occasional  good 
story,  but  for  supplementary  reading  in  the 
class  there  is  other  material  more  useful, 
li^f —  As  for  Tell,  he  is  almost  a  myth.  His  story 
appears  with  some  variations  in  the  literatures 
of  Aryan  nations  as  widely  separated  as  Persia 
and  Iceland,  yet  the  Swiss  have  claimed  him 
so  persistently,  and  have  adorned  his  story  with 
so  much  of  circumstantial  detail,  that  we  may 
perhaps  admit  the  possibility  of  a  popular  hero 
having  existed  among  them,  upon  whom  these 
fabulous  tales  have  been  hung.  Schiller  has 
hfted  him  into  an  important  place  in  literature, 
and  whether  myth  or  legend,  the  story  is  well 
worth  introducing  into  the  school  room.  The 
/  best  school  edition  is  McMurry's  "  William 
Tell,"  adapted  to  seventh  grade.  The  story  Is 
told  in  simpler  form,  for  third  or  fourth  grade 
reading,  in  Scudder's  "Book  of  Legends"  and 
in  Baldwin's  "Fifty  Famous  Stories."  ^ 

Passing  out  of  the  realm  of  legend,  we  now 
enter  that  of  history.  Here  the  books  that 
should  be  admitted  to  the  reading  hour,  as  has 
been  already  said,  should  include  only  the  in- 
spirational and  the  heroic.  The  sober  facts 
102 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

of  history,  the  development  of  the  arts,  the 
onward  march  of  civihzation,  will  all  be  traced 
in  their  proper  order  in  the  history  class.  We 
are  here  concerned  only  with  the  picturesque 
aspects  of  history,  and  especially  with  that 
personal  element  in  it  which  falls  more  properly 
under  the  head  of  biography. 

The  eai^igstJiu&tory  stories  are  those  which 
come  to  us  from  the  HebrcLWS  and  are  preserved 
in  thg_Bihle  —  the  biographies  of  Abraham, 
Joseph,  Samuel,  David,  Elijah,  Daniel,  and 
others  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets, —  Ruth, 
too,  and  Esther,  those  types  of  exalted  woman- 
hood. They  are  siqaple,  picturesque,  inspiring, 
and  possessed  of  a  deep  moral  influence. 
Teachers  who  are  accustomed  to  regard  them 
as  the  vehicle  of  religious  instruction  are  often 
bUnded  to  their  high  literary  value.  It  is  too 
often  assumed  that  the  child  has  extracted  all 
the  good  from  them  in  Sunday-school, —  but 
what  of  the  child  who  does  not  go  to  Sunday- 
school?  He  is  surely  in  special  need  of  the 
moral  uphft  which  comes  from  the  right  por- 
trayal of  these  grand  old  figures.  And  if  the 
child  has  learned  something  about  them  on  a 
Sunday,  he  will  get  new  inspiration  by  taking 
105 


^ 


CHILDREN'S    READING  '^ 

them  into  his  every-day  work.  Unfortunately, 
the  Bible  may  not  be  studied  or  even  read, 
in  the  larger  part  of  our  American  schools,  and 
the  stories  and  parables  of  the  greatest  moral 
teacher  that  the  world  has  ever  known  are  ban- 
ished from  the  class-room.  But  few  school 
boards  are  so  narrow  as  to  exclude  the  national 
heroes  of  the  Hebrews  and  admit  those  of  the 
Greeks,  Romans,  Germans,  French,  and  Anglo- 
Saxons.  The  best  form  in  which  to  read  these 
stories  is  in  the  words  of  the  Bible,  omitting  ir- 
relevant and  unsuitable  passages.  "Old  Testa- 
.  ment  Stories  in  Scripture  Language,"  issued  in 
the  "Riverside  Literature  Seiies"  and  adapted 
to  fourth  grade,  admirably  meets  the  require- 
ments of  the  class-room.  Baldwin's  "  Old  Sto-  — O 
ries  of  the  East,"  and  Heerman's  "  Stories  from_^,i:i-p 
the  Hebrew,"  retell  the  old  tales  picturesquely, 
and  are  graded  about  the  same  as  the  "Old 
Testament  Stories,"  Guerber's  "Story  of  the  -; — C 
Chosen  People  "  presents  a  connected  history  of 
the  Jews,  and  is  somewhat  more  advanced  than 
any  of  the  foregoing. 

Greek  and  Roman  history  stories  are  often 
combined   with   stories   of  the   gods   and   of 
legendary  heroes,  as  in  Shaw's  "  Stories  of  the 
104 


SUPPLEMENTARY  READING 

(3 — Ancient    Greeks,"   Harding's   "Greek  Gods,\ 
Heroes,   and   Men,"   and  "The  City  of  the\ 
Seven  Hills,"   and  Guerber's   "Story  of  the  1 — ^ 
Greeks"  and  "Story  of  the  Romans."    These  I 
are  all  admirable  little  books  and  can  be  used 
to  advantage  in  intermediate  grades.     In  the 
grammar  grades  Plutarch's  "  Lives  "  should  be  \/~ — ^ 
read.     Most  of  the  school-book  publishers  issue 
editions   containing   five  or  six  of  the  Uves, 
including  both  Greeks  and  Romans.     Of  the 
Greek    lives,    Alexander    and    Themistocles^ 
may  be  particularly  recommended,  and  of  the 
Roman,  Caesar  and  Fabius._ 

Out  of  the  mass  of  stories  from  mediaeval  and 
modem  history,  special  mention  can  only  be 
made  of  the  following :  Miss  Hurll's  lives  of 
Raphael   and    Michelangelo,    which    give  an 
/   excellent  picture  of  the  Renaissance  in  Italy,  V 
and  familiarize  the  pupil  with  the  great  art  of    .   /^i 
that  period,  Pitman's  "  Stories  of  Old  France,"  r"^    \L 
Rolfe's   "Tales   from   English  History,"  and  / 
"Tales  from  Scottish  History"  (taken  from  the 
/works  of  standard  authors),  Blaisdell's  "Short  ^ 

•  Stories  from  English  History,"   Hawthorne's 
"Grandfather's    Chair"    (stories    from    New 
Englknd    history),   and    Blaisdell  and    Ball's 
105 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

"Hero  Stories  from  American  History," — all 
for  fifth  and  sixth  years;  Scott's  "Tales  of  a 
Grandfather"  (Scottish  history),  Franklin's 
"Autobiography,"  Scudder's  "George  Wash- 
ington," and  Irving  and  Fiske's  "Washing- 
ton and  his  Country,"  for  seventh  and  eighth 
grades. 

For  stories  covering  the  important  epochs 
of  general  history,  there  is  nothing  better  than 

^e^i  Jane  Andrews's  " Ten  Boys  who  Lived  on  the 
Road  from  Long  Ago  to  Now  "  (fifth  to  seventh 
grade).  This  is  historical  fiction  rather  than 
history,  the  characters  being  imaginary,  but 
the  book  gives  vivid  pictures  of  the  conditions 
of  life  at  different  periods  of  the  world's  devel- 
opment, and  helps  to  an  appreciation  of  all 
history  stories  which  may  afterward  be  read. 
Poems  referring  to  picturesque  events  or  to 
heroic  action  are  suitable  for  the  fifth  and  suc- 
ceeding grades.  For  English  history,  a  little 
book  edited  by  Katherine  Lee  Bates  and 
Catherine  Coman,  entitled  "English  History 
Told  by  the  Poets,"  is  excellent.  For  American 
history,  a  simihar  collection,  including,  how- 
^    ever,  prose  as  well  as  poetry.  Lane  and  Hill's 

rv\ 1* American  History  in  Literature"  may  be  used 

106 


J 


SUPPLEMENTAJIY  READING 

I     to  advantage.     " Paul^ Revere's  Ride"  may  be 
(      read  in  fifth  grade,  "The  Courtship  of  Miles 
\      Standish"   and    Whittier's    "Mabel   Martin" 
/     in  sixth,  Holmes's  "Grandmother's  Story  of 
I    Bunker  Hill  Battle"  in  seventh,  and  "Evange- 
.'     line ']Jn  eighth.     Matthews's  "  Poems  of  Amer- ^ 
L.  ican  Patriotism"  is  also  good  in  seventh  or 
eighth.     For   general   history,   including  also 
legends,   nothing  is  better  than   Gayley  and^ 
'^^J'lahcrty's  "Poetry  of  the  People."    This  is 
adapted  to  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  grades. 

When  we  come  to  nature  books,  we  find  our- 
selves between  Scylla  and  Charybdis,  Scylla 
being  the  class  of  sentimental,  untrustworthy, 
and  altogether  misleading  stories  written  by 
people  who  know  only  the  surface  appearances 
of  nature,  while  Charybdis  is  that  ultrascien- 
tific,  exact,  and  lifeless  sort  which  are  only 
"  books  of  knowledge."  Yet  there  are  nature 
books  which  may  fairly  be  classed  as  "books 
of  power,"  and  among  them,  in  spite  of  the 
criticisms  and  counter-criticisms  whicJi  have 
been  bandied  back  and  forth  between  their 
authors,  I  would  place  side  by  side  the  works 
of  Burroughs,  Seton,  and  Long.  Burroughs 
has  never  been  surpassed  in  the  nicety  of  his 
107 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

observations  and  the  delightful  manner  in 
which  he  tells  them.  His  best  work  is  that 
which  describes  Nature  in  her  more  familiar 
aspects,  and  which  leads  his  readers  to  look 
sharply  and  sympathetically.  Seton  and  Long, 
on  the  other  hand,  find  their  inspiration  in  the 
wilderness,  stories  of  which  they  tell  with  so 
rare  an  enthusiasm  that  we  almost  feel  the 
shadows  of  tlie  big  woods  and  hear  the  splash 
of  the  paddle  in  the  quiet  lake.  And  to  this 
group  we  must  add  Thoreau,  the  first  of  our 
New  England  nature  wnters,  whose  simple 
spirit  is  one  of  the  beautiful  things  in  the  his- 
tory of  American  letters;  and  Chajies  Dudley, 
Warner,  the  genial  essayist ;  and  Gilbert  White, 
the  English  nature  writer,  who,  though  he  wrote 
more  than  a  century  ago,  and  described  a  fauna 
in  many  respects  unfamihar  to  us,  has  invested 
his  work  with  such  charm  that  it  has  taken 
rank  as  one  of  the  little  classics  of  the  world. 

/  Seton's  best  books  for  school  reading  are 
<;^>— f-**  Krag  and  Johnny  Bear  "  and  "  Lobo,  Rag  and 
^^_Lyixen."    Long's  are  perhaps  "Secrets  of  the 

)  Woods,"  "Wilderness  Ways,"  and  "Ways  of 
'^  Wood-Folk,"  though  his  "Northern  Trails" 

^  and  "A  Little  Brother  to  the  Bear"  are  not 
108 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

far  behind.  All  of  these  may  be  used  in  fifth 
to  eighth  grade.  Burroughs's  books  available 
for  school  use  are  "  Birds  and  Bees,"  "  Squirrels 
and  Other  Fur  Bearers,"  "Sharp  Eyes,"  and 
"A  Bunch  of  Herbs."  These  are  of  marked 
literary  value,  and  are  adapted  to  perhaps  one 
grade  higher  than  either  the  Long  or  Seton 
books.     "The_S^iccession_.oL^  is  \/ 

the  only  one  of  Thoreau's  essays  which  has 
been  issued  in  convenient  form  for  schools. 
This  and  Gilbert  White's  "Natural  History  of 

^/    Selbome"  cannot  be  used  successfully  earlier 

than  eighth  grade.     Charles  Dudley  Warner's 

J   "A  Hunting  of  the  Deer"  may  be  read  in 

seventh  or  eighth.    An  excellent  collection  of 

[poems    of    nature   in    two  volumes,   entitled 

rs  \"Na turpi  in  Verse" — third  to  fifth  grades  in- 
Iclusive  —  and  "Poetry  of  the  Seasons" — sixth 
j  to  eighth  inclusive  —  compiled  by  Mary  I. 
I  Lovejoy,  is  also  available.  ^ 

Of  travel  and  books  on  foreign  lands,  there 
are  very  few  adapted  to  school  use  which  have 
any  claim  to  literary  standing.  TJie^avergg6_ 
geofip-aphical  reader  is  a  volume  bristling  with 
facts,  and  intended  to  supplement  the  work  of 
the  text-book.  It  is  useful  in  its  place  but  its 
109 


/ 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

place  is  the  geography  class.     Probably  the 
most  distinctly  literary  treatment  of  foreign 
life  and  scenes  which  has  ever  been  written  for 
Q. — ^oung  children  is  Jane  Andrews's  "  Seven  Little 
Sisters"  and  "Each  and  All,"  adapted  to  about 
fourth  grade.     These  books  are  not  travels; 
they  are  rather  stories  of  children  in  other  lands, 
yet  they  are  so  picturesque  and  full  of  the  at- 
mosphere and  color  of  the  localities  of  which 
they  treat,  that  they  may  be  placed  in  the  same 
class  with  the  few  really  good  travel  books. 
"The  Youth's  Companion"  has  published  at 
different  times  many  excellent  sketches  of  travel 
by   well-known   contemporary   travellers   and 
writers.     The  best  of  these  sketches  are  pub- 
lished in  several  volumes  for  school  reading 
^  I  under  the  titles, "  The  Wide  World,"  "  Northern 
c^;^  Europe,"  "Under  Sunny  Skies,"  "Toward  the 
cjj-i^ Rising  Sun,"  and  "  Strange  Lands  near  Home."  "^ 
{They  are  suited  to  fifth  and  sixth  grades. 
^    If  we  are  to  devote  our  reading  hour  to  the 
acquisition  of  culture,  surely  a  part  of  the  time 
cannot  better  be  spent  than  by  learning  some- 
thing of  the  meaning  and  message  of  art.     For 
this  purpose  several  series  of  reading  books  have      , 
been  issued.    Cyr's  "  Graded  Art  Readers"  and  v 
no"  ^ 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

Grover's  " Art^Literature  Readers"  set  before 
the  pupil  in  the  early  grades  reproductions  of 
great  paintings  and  sculptures,  accompanied  by 
stories  which  give  an  insight  into  their  meaning 
and  by  anecdotes  from  the  Uves  of  the  artists 
who  produced  them.  Pictures  appeal  to  the 
child  early,  and  it  is  pedagogically  right  to 
emphasize  the  picture  element  in  the  first  and 
second  readers,  training  the  eye  to  recognize 
good  art. 

Miss  Hurll.has  written  for  the  higher  grades 
a  series  of  little  volumes  on  the  lives  and  works 
of  the  great  artists.  Room  can  be  found  in  the 
average  course  for  but  few  such  books,  but 
these  few  are  well  worth  consideration.  Miss 
^  Kuril's  "  Raphael  "andJlMjchelangelo  "  have 
already  been  mentioned  under  Biography. 
These  two  in  eighth  grade,  preceded  by  her 
volume  on  Greek  sculpture  in  seventh  grade, 
would  add  strength  to  tfie  average  reading 
course. 

We  have  now  reached  the  field  of  fiction  — 
possible  realistic  fiction,  as  distinct  from  the 
fiction  of  wonderland,  which  has  already  been 
considered.  The  first  and  greatest  work  of 
fiction  adapted  to  children  is  generally  conceded 
111 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

to  be  "  Robinson  Crusoe,"  a  story  which  com- 
bines more  elements  of  interest  to  the  young 
than  any  of  our  other  great  English  classics. 
Adventure,  shipwreck,  a  strange  land,  the  mak- 
ing of  things  with  the  hands,  ingenious  details 
which  give  a  touch  of  truth  and  vividness  to 
the  narration, —  finally  the  picture  of  a  brave 
man  not  daunted  by  misfortune  nor  overcome 
by  obstacles, —  all  this  is  enough  to  attract  and 
hold  the  interest  of  any  child.  "Robinson 
Crusoe  "  may  be  read  in  the  fourth  year.  Many 
good  teachers  use  it  orally  in  earlier  grades  as 
the  basis  of  construction  work  and  of  conversa- 
tion regarding  trades  and  occupations.  Dr. 
Charles  McMurry,  in  his  "Special  Method  in 
Primary  Reading,"  recommends  its  use  in  this 
way  in  second  grade.  Such  a  treatment  pre- 
pares children  to  read  the  story  with  greater 
interest  and  appreciation  when  it  is  put  into 
their  hands  a  few  years  later. 

Other  good  fiction  adapted  to  school  reading 
is  (1)  "Heidi,"  a  sweet  story  from  the  German 
of  Joanna  Spyri,  descriptive  of  Alpine  life  and, 
later,  of  a  Uttle  mountain  girl's  experiences  in  a 
German  city.  Fourth  and  fifth  grades.  (2) 
"Abdallah,"  from  the  French  of  Laboulaye. 
112 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

An  Oriental  tale  with  an  element  of  mystery  and  , 
a  deep  moral  lesson.  Sixth  and  seventh  grades. 
(3)  "The  Nuremburg  Stove"  and  (4)  "A  Dog 
of  Flanders  "  by  Mme.  de  la  Ramee,  the  foi^ner 
published  also  with  several  other  tales  by  the 
same  author  under  the  general  title  "Bimbi." 
Fourth  and  fifth  grades.  (5)  "Jackanapes"  - 
and  (6)  "The  Story  of  a  Short  Life"  by  Mrs. 
Ewing.  Two  stories  which  always  interest 
children  and  influence  them  for  good.  Fifth 
and  sixth  grades.  (7)  Lamb's  "Tales  from  - 
Shakespeare,"  an  excellent  introduction  to 
Shakespeare's  plays.  Sixth  or  seventh  grade. 
(8)  Brown's  "Rab  and  his  Friends"  and  (9) 
Sewell's  "Black  Beauty"  inspiring  kindness  to 
animals.  Sixth  or  seventh  grade.  (10)  Dick-^. 
ens's  "Christmas  Carol"  and  (11)  "The. 
Cricket  on  the  Hearth."  Seventh  and  eighth 
grades.  (12)  Hawthorne's  "  Tales  of  the  ^Vhite 
Hills,"  or  at  least  "The  Great  Stone  Face," 
which  is  the  finest  of  the  collection,  and  which 
no  child  should  leave  school  without  having 
read.  May  be  used  in  seventh  grade,  though 
it  is  better  in  eighth.  (13)  Martineau's  "The 
Peasant  and  the  Prince,"  a  picture  of  life  in 
France  on  the  eve  of  the  French  Revolution. 
113 


f 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

Seventh  and  eighth  grades.    (14)  Irving's  "  Leg " 

end  of  Sleepy  Hollow,"  issued  usually  with  "Rip 
Van  Winkle"  and  others  of  the  Sketch  Book  es- 
says. Seventh  or  eighth  grade.  (15)  Hughes's 
"Tom  Brown  at  Rugby,"  a  fine,  strong  story 
with  a  thoroughly  healthful  influence.  Eighth 
grade. 

There  is  also  a  class  of  narrative  and  de- 
scriptive poems  which  may  be  included  under 
the  general  head  of  fiction  and  read  in  the  last 
fiyears  of  the  grammar  school.  The  most  im- 
portant are  Tennyson's  "Enoch  Arden,"  Whit-  ^^ 
^tier's  "Snow  Bound,"  and  Bums's  "Cotter's 
Saturday  Night."  _ 

We  shall  not  consider  poetry,  as  librarians 
usually  do,  a  distinct  class  of  literature,  for  our 
division  has  been  made  on  the  basis  of  subject 
rather  than  of  form,  and  in  this  scheme  poetry 
and  prose  stand  side  by  side.  Bryant's  Trans- 
lation of  the  Odyssey  and  Lamb's  "Adventures 
of  Ulysses "  clearly  belong  in  the  same  class, 
though  one  is  verse  and  the  other  prose;  so, 
also,  "Evangeline"  and  "The  Peasant  and  the 
Prince."  Yet  we  must  find  or  make  a  place  for 
a  graded  series  of  miscellaneous  poems  which 
ought,  for  two  reasons,  to  be  included  among 
114 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

our  supplementary  reading  books;  first,  be- 
cause we  need  in  the  schools  more  poetry  than 
the  average  series  of  readers  supplies;  and 
second,  because  these  books  furnish  the  neces- 
sary material  for  memorizing.  We  do  not 
need,  surely,  to  enter  a  plea  for  poetry  in  the 
school-room.  All  good  teachers  recognize  the 
importance  of  training  the  ear  early  to  appre- 
ciate the  beauty  of  rhythm  and  cadence,  the 
musical  expression  of  what  is  best  and  deepest 
in  nature  and  in  life,  for  all  that  is  best  and 
deepest  finds  its  perfect  expression  in  poetry. 
The  child  should  early  be  taught  to  read  and 
to  love  it,  beginning  with  the  musical  jingles  of 
Mother  Goose  in  his  first  school  year  and  ex- 
tending to  "The  Cotter's  Saturday  Night"  and 
"  Thanatopsis  "  in  the  highest  grammar  grade. 
The  best  collections  of  short  poems  issued 
for  school  reading  are  Miss  Shute*s  "  Land  of 
Song,"  and  Wilder  and  BenainyV'**Open  Se-f~ 
same."  Each  is  in  three  volumes,  graded  ac- 
cording to  dilBBculty,  and  covers  the  entire 
common  school  course.  A  good  general  col- 
lection of  literary  excerpts  in  both  prose  and 
verse  is  the  "  Heart  of  Oak  Books^"  published 
in  eight  volumes,  a  book  for  each  school  year. 
115 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

The  importance  of  memorizing  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  best  of  these  short  poems  cannot  be 
overstated.  The  boys  and  girls  who  grow  up 
to  manhood  and  womanhood  possessed  of  a 
store  of  the  best  thoughts  that  have  ever  found 
human  expression  have  at  hand  an  inspiration 
which  can  never  be  taken  from  them,  but  which 
will  when  most  needed  stand  them  in  good 
stead.  Who  can  tell  how  many  times  in  after 
years,  when  tempted  or  discouraged  or 
wavering,  these  thoughts  will  come  back  and 
strengthen  them?  The  song^JL£if^a^^  not 
merely  a  poet's  fancy.  It  is  a  type  of  the  way 
in  which  the  music  of  a  sweet  or  noble  verse 
can  touch  the  heart  and  influence  the  life. 
And  who  can  measure  the  folly  of  allowing 
children  to  commit  to  memory,  for  recitation, 
doggerel  from  the  newspapers  or  milk-and- 
water  lyrics  from  juvenile  magazines,  while 
with  the  same  mental  effort  they  might  be 
learning  something  that  would  be  to  them  a 
joy  forever? 

When  we  review  the  supplementary  reading 

material  adapted  to  the  grades,  we  find  that 

there  is,  psychologically,  a  time  at  which  each 

class  of  literature  appeals  to  the  child  with  the 

U6 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

greatest  force.  In  the  earliest  grades  folk- 
lore and  fable  supply  the  natural  mental  food; 
soon  afterward  myths,  then  legends,  which 
merge  at  length  into  biography  and  hist'^ry^ 
The  reading  matter  should  be  varied,  and  no 
one  year  entirely  devoted  to  a  single  subject, 
else  it  will  become  monotonous;  yet  the  wise 
teacher  will  give  prominence  always  to  the  sub- 
ject which  is  particularly  suited  to  the  stage  of 
the  pupil's  mental  development. 

A  tabular  view  will  help  to  make  clear  this 
adaptation  of  subject  to  the  developing  inter- 
ests and  abilities  of  the  child : 

1st  Grade:  FOLK-LORE*  (including  Rhymes,  Fables, 
Myths,  and  Wonder  Stories).  Stories  of 
Children,  Animal  Stories,  Pictm^s. 

2d  Grade:  FABLES.  Wonder  Stories,  Myths,  Rhymes. 
Stories  of  Children,  Animal  Stories,  Pic- 
tures. 

3d  Grade:  WONDER  STORIES.  Myths,  Fables, 
Legends,  Stories  of  Children,  Animal  Sto- 
ries, Short  Poems,  Pictiu-es. 

4th  Grade:  MYTHS.  Legends,  Wonder  Stories,  Biog- 
raphy, Fiction,  Animal  and  Nature  Sto- 
ries, Travels,  Short  Poems. 

5th  Grade:  LEGENDS.  Myths,  Wonder  Stories.  Biog- 
raphy, History,  Fiction,  Nature  Stories, 
Travels,  Short  Poems. 

*  The  important  subject  is  in  capitals. 
117 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

6th  Grade:  BIOGRAPHY.  History,  Fiction,  Travels, 
Nature  Stories,  Legends,  Myths,  Wonder 
Stories,  Short  Poems. 

7th  Grade:  HISTORY.  Biography,  Fiction,  Travels, 
Nature  Stories,  Legends,  Myths,  Short 
Poems. 

8th  Grade :  FICTION .  Poetry,  History,  Biography,  Na- 
ture Stories,  General  Literature. 

This  table  corresponds  with  the  development 
of  the  child's  mind,  and  represents  an  orderly 
progression  to  the  close  of  the  seventh  year. 
The  subjects  to  be  emphasized  during  the 
eighth  year  are  more  largely  a  matter  of  choice. 

In  the  foregoing  discussion,  nothing  has  been 
said  of  method.  Normal  institutes,  teachers' 
associations,  and  educational  journals  have 
given  this  subject  so  much  attention  that  the 
average  teacher  is  perhaps  in  danger  of  having 
too  much  method  rather  than  too  httle.  It  may 
be  said,  however,  that  the  teacher  of  inter- 
mediate or  grammar  grades  who  requires  no 
supplementary  reading  to  be  done  outside  of  the 
school-room  will  not  be  able  to  give  her  pupils 
any  considerable  acquaintance  with  literature. 
No  other  subject  is  so  well  suited  for  home  work. 
If  tlie  pupil  reads  the  lesson  outside  of  school, 
the  class  period  can  be  devoted  to  conversation 
118 


SUPPLEMENTARY    READING 

about  the  lesson,  to  the  intensive  reading  of  the 
most  significant  portions  of  it,  —  the  only  way 
in  which  average  boys  and  girls  can  be  made  to 
get  the  full  meaning  out  of  what  they  have 
read.  In  the  primary  grades  the  case  is  other- 
wise. There  the  work  must  be  done  in  the 
school-room  and  much  of  it  by  means  of 
story-telhng.  The  pupil's  abihty  to  understand 
far  exceeds,  at  this  stage,  his  abihty  to  read, 
and  the  teacher  should  supply  a  wider  thought 
element  by  teUing  and  occasionally  reading 
stories  which  the  child  is  unable  to  read  him- 
self. The  grading  which  has  been  suggested 
for  books  mentioned  in  this  chapter  refers  to  the 
pupil's  reading.  Books  adapted  to  reading  in 
the  higher  grades  furnish  material  for  primary 
stories,  which  the  active  teacher  will  not  be 
slow  to  appropriate  and  use.  Other  books 
helpful  to  teachers  are  named  in  the  Appendix. 


119 


CHAPTER  VI  \-^- 
THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

THE  school  library  forms  a  strong  bond 
between  the  school  and  tlie  home.  It 
coordinates  the  child's  home  reading  with 
his  school  work  and  adds  to  the  efficiency  of 
both.  In  homes  of  ignorance,  where  there  are 
no  books,  it  affords  a  substitute  for  the  home 
library,  and  in  homes  of  poverty,  where  the 
library  is  small,  it  widens  the  literary  horizon. 
It  assumes  the  most  important  function  of  the 
parent  when  the  parent  is  incompetent.  It  is 
both  an  inspiration  to  right  living  and  a  means 
of  culture,  for  it  shows  the  child  through  what 
means  great  and  good  men  have  become  great 
and  good;  how  honesty,  purity,  gentleness, 
and  temperance  sweeten  and  glorify  life.  It 
sets  before  him  high  ideals  not  impossible  of 
attainment.  It  tells  him  the  story  of  this  old 
world  of  ours,  opens  his  eyes  to  the  wonders  of 
nature,  and  demonstrates  the  goodness  of  God. 
Then,  too,  its  leavening  influence  touches  the 
parents.  It  reaches  thus  into  the  dark  comers 
120 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

of  society  and  brings  to  many  a  discouraged, 
hard-worked  father  and  mother  an  intellectual 
stimulus  and  the  vision  of  a  fuller  Ufe.  Men 
and  women  who  have  almost  forgotten  how  to 
read,  and  who  in  their  own  childhood  never 
had  good  books,  take  up  the  volumes  which 
their  boys  and  girls  bring  home  from  school 
and  get  a  glimpse  into  a  worid  where  all  is  not 
expressed  in  terms  of  dollars  and  cents. 

Most  people  assent  to  the  importance  of  the 
school  Ubrary,  but  do  not  seem  to  reaUze  that 
its  value  depends  wholly  upon  the  selection  of  its 
books.  I  have  seen  school  libraries  which  were 
actually  harmful  because  so  dull  that  they 
created  in  the  child  a  prejudice  against  all 
sorts  of  Ubraries  from  that  time  forth.  I  have 
seen  others  selected  by  incompetent  teachers, 
which  contained  quite  as  much  trash  as  good 
reading  matter  —  OUver  Optic  books  side  by 
side  with  Motley's  histories,  Henty  jostling 
Shakespeare.  The  selection  of  a  school  library 
requires  expert  judgment,  and  the  teacher 
cannot  make  up  a  list  from  publishers'  cata- 
logues, not  knowing  the  books  he  is  ordering, 
and  be  at  all  sure  that  he  has  selected  what  his 
pupils  need. 

121 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

Public  library  commissions  and  State  Super- 
intendents in  many  of  the  States  have  pre- 
pared school  library  hsts  to  assist  teachers  in 
their  choice;  pupils'  reading  circles  have  pub- 
lished the  titles  of  their  adopted  books  extending 
back  over  a  period  of  years  and  representing  a 
careful  selection  from  the  best  literature  for  chil- 
dren; children's  Ubrarians  have  issued  sug- 
gestive catalogues  —  the  best  of  which  are  those 
/  of  Miss  Hewins  of  the  Hartford  Public  Library, 
)f  Misses  Prentice  and  Power  of  Cleveland,  and 
y  the  children's  catalogue  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library;  specialists  in  children's  literature  have 
added  their  contributions  to  the  bibliography 
of  the  subject;  but  after  the  use  of  all  these 
helps  there  is  still  the  problem  of  selecting 
from  a  large  number  of  reasonably  good  books 
those  whch  are  best,  or  which  best  meet  the 
requirements  of  a  given  school. 

In  the  rural  districts  —  and  in  many  towns 
and  villages  as  well  —  the  teacher  or  school 
board  is  met  at  this  point  by  the  itinerant 
agent  of  some  school  supply  company  with  the 
offer  of  a  library  of  fifty  volumes  for  fifty  dol- 
lars, or  forty  volumes  for  forty  dollars,  or  some 
equally  Uberal  proposition.  The  books  are 
122 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

''elegantly  bound  in  uniform  style,  with  gilt 
tops,  and  an  expensive  oak  case  free."  After 
stripping  the  proposition  of  its  affluent  fancy 
—  and  obscure  English  —  and  reducing  it  to 
plain  facts,  it  is  found  that  the  fifty  volumes 
are  mostly  non-copyright  fiction,  printed  on  a 
gray-white  paper  which  turns  yellow  at  the 
edges  after  a  few  months'  exposure  to  the  light, 
and  from  well-worn  plates,  the  capitals  being 
innocent  of  comers  and  the  e's  and  s's  filled 
with  printer's  ink,  while  horrid  gaps  appear  in 
the  midst  of  words  which  have  a  reasonable 
claim  to  continuity.  The  bindings  are  showy 
and  weak,  and  the  books  fall  to  pieces  after  a 
few  months'  wear.  The  titles  are  alphabeti- 
cally arranged  from  "  Adam  Bede  "  to  "  Woman 
in  White,"  the  oak  case  is  a  rough  but  highly 
varnished  affair  costing  perhaps  forty  or  fifty 
cents  to  manufacture,  and  the  books  are  such 
as  are  printed  for  the  consumption  of  depart- 
ment store  buyers,  who  find  them  constantly 
on  the  bargain  counters,  "marked  down  to  48 
cents,'*  and  sometimes  even  cheaper.  In  one 
case  which  recently  came  under  my  notice,  as 
an  incentive  to  school-room  decoration  a  beauti- 
ful picture  in  a  "  massive  solid  gilt  frame  "  was 
128 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

oflFered  with  the  library.  The  "solid  gilt  frame" 
was,  as  might  be  expected,  a  delusion;  as  for 
the  picture  —  I  spare  you  a  description  of  its 
horrors.  This  is  not  a  fanciful  story,  but  a 
plain  statement  of  the  manner  in  which  rural 
and  village  school  boards  in  some  of  our  West- 
em  States  are  solicited  to  purchase  libraries, 
and  in  which,  alas,  many  do  purchase  them. 

A  good  school  library  may  begin  in  a  very 
small  way.  Twenty  well-selected  books  are 
more  valuable  than  a  hundred  carelessly 
selected  ones,  and  the  need  of  economy  is  often 
a  real  advantage,  since  it  makes  the  teacher 
distinguish  more  carefully  between  the  essen- 
tial books  and  those  which  are  only  useful.  A 
good  library  is  a  growth.  It  is  never  com- 
pleted, and  is  often  more  valuable  when  it 
has  gained  by  slow  accretions  the  volumes  that 
have  been  found  to  be  indispensable  to  it  than 
when  it  has  sprung  into  being  like  Pallas,  fully 
equipped  and  ready  to  do  business. 

Buy  well-made  books.  Some  people  can- 
not understand  why  books  issued  by  reputable 
pubUshers  and  dressed  in  very  modest  bind- 
ings should  cost  more  than  the  department- 
store  variety,  with  their  wealth  of  ornamental 
124 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

stamping  and  their  "fool's  gold"  decorations. 
But  the  teacher  who  has  admitted  the  latter 
class  of  volumes  into  a  school  library  knows, 
having  learned  by  experience  that  a  well-made 
book  is  cheaper  than  a  flimsy  one,  even  though 
its  first  cost  be  twice  as  great.  It  should  be  a 
part  of  the  education  of  every  boy  and  girl  not 
only  to  know  the  difference  between  a  noble 
book  and  a  common  one,  but  also  between  an 
honestly  made  book  and  one  made  to  deceive. 
Especially  should  the  books  of  a  school  library 
conform  to  the  mechanical  standard  which 
Ruskin  demanded, —  "printed  in  excellent 
form,  for  a  just  price;  but  not  in  any  vile, 
vulgar,  or,  by  reason  of  smallness  of  type, 
physically  injurious  form,  at  a  vile  price.  For 
we  none  of  us  need  many  books  and  those 
which  we  need  ought  to  be  clearly  printed,  on 
the  best  paper,  and  strongly  bound." 

It  is  perhaps  unnecessary  to  urge  the  teacher 
to  beware  of  donations, —  dead  books  which 
are  generously  bestowed  upon  the  school  library 
because  they  are  of  no  further  use  to  anybody. 
There  is  a  current  notion  that  the  scope  of  a 
library  is  large  enough  to  include  any  book,  not 
absolutely  immoral,  which  contains  informa- 
125 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

tion.    Of  the  large  public  library  this  is  per- 
haps true,  but  the  school  library  should  be  a 
working  hbrary  and  every  book  in  it  aUve. 
Nothing    quenches    the    pupils'     interest    so 
quickly  as  an  array  of  dry,  unreadable,  for- 
bidding volumes.     Throw  them  out ! 
I       The  school  library  has,  in  its  relation  to  the 
I    pupil,  a  two-fold  use :  (1)  it  supphes  good  books 
>  for  home  reading  —  either  such  as  appeal  to 
I  the  pupils'  individual  tastes,  or  such  as  are 
,/  recommended  by  the  teacher  to  ampUfy  the 
i   work  of  the  class,  and  (2)  it  jafiFords  in  the 
I   school-room  an  opportunity  to  get  information 
/    on  specific  topics.     Every  good  school  hbrary 
'     fulfils  these  two  functions,  and  thus  embraces 
both  a  circulating  and  a  reference  hbrary. 

The  foundation  of  the  circulating  section  of 
the  Hbrary  should  be  the  "books  of  power" 
which  have  been  already  suggested  for  the  home 
hbrary  and  for  supplementary  reading  in  the 
school.  As  the  school  library  in  its  broadest 
sense  includes  all  sets  of  books  owned  by  the 
school  and  used  for  supplementary  reading, 
there  need  be  no  duplication.  The  hbrary 
simply  extends  the  range  and  amount  of  this 
hterary  material,  providing  more  than  is  neces- 
126 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

sary  for  the  work  of  the  reading  class  and 
stimulating  the  child  to  follow  up  his  acquaint- 
ance with  the  great  masters  of  EngUsh  prose 
and  poetry  to  whom  he  has  been  introduced 
in  the  school-room. 

In  addition  to  this  literary  foundation,  the 
circulating  section  of  the  library  should  provide 
good  reading  books  on  science,  nature,  geog- 
raphy, history',  and  kindred  branches  —  "books 
of  knowledge  "  —  which  will  add  to  the  interest 
and  value  of  the  daily  lesson  and  give  to  the 
pupil  a  wider  outlook.  Here  belong  such 
books  as  Tyndall's  "Forms  of  Water,"  Inger- 
soll's  "Book  of  the  Ocean,"  Grant  Allen's 
"Story  of  the  Plants,"  Ball's  "Starland,"  Jor 
dan's  "Science  Sketches,"  Livingstone's  "Last 
Journals,"  all  of  which  not  only  extend  but 
enliven  and  make  more  eflFective  the  material 
of  the  text-books.  A  suggestive  Ust  of  several 
hundred  books  adapted  to  school  libraries  will 
be  found  in  the  Appendix  to  the  present  volume. 

The  reference  section  of  the  hbtcajy  is  equally 
important.  It  Is  tlie  laboratory  where  the 
pupil  investigates  literature  and  history  and 
geography,  using  cyclopaedias  instead  of  test 
tubes  and  books  instead  of  batteries.  Every 
127 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

teacher  knows  that  t^  knowledge  which  a 
child  discovers  is  worth  twice  that  whicK  is 
given  to  him  in  his  text-book,  cut  up  and  par- 
tially predigested.  So  the  reference  library 
has  come  to  be  a  sine  qua  non  in  modem  edu- 
cation, and  the  fuller  and  more  usable  it  is 
the  more  deep  and  sure  will  be  the  foundations 
provided  for  the  pupil's  knowledge. 

The  reference^Jibjrary-. should  contain,  first 
of  all,  ggod^  dictionaries  —  more  than  one  —  a 
Webster's  International,  Webster's  Imperial, 
Standard,  or  Worcester's,  and  by  all  means  a 
Century  if  the  funds  will  permit;  for  the  Century 
gives  more  fully  and  exactly  than  any  other 
dictionary  the  origin,  the  history,  the  organism 
of  words, —  and  of  all  that  a  pupil  learns  at 
school  the  one  thing  that  marks  his  degree  of 
culture  is  his  knowledge  of  words,  his  ability 
to  use  them  rightly,  to  know  them  intimately, 
to  distinguish  between  so-called  synonymous 
words  which  mean  quite  different  things.  Most 
words  are  full  of  a  significance  that  the  un- 
educated person  never  feels,  and  in  proportion 
as  one  recognizes  these  finer  meanings  will  he 
be  able  to  appreciate  the  highest  literature.  / 
Besides  the  dictionaries,  Roget's  "  Thesaurus  V 
128 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

.  jef  English  Words"  and   Crabbe's   "English 
r   Synonymes"  are  of  great  value  in  giving  the 
pupil  this  ability  to  make  and  to  understand 
fine  distinctions. 

Then  come  encyclopaedias,  the  most  useful  of 
which  we  beUeve  to  be  the  New  International. 
This  covers  a  wide  range  of  subjects,  provides 
enough  information  but  not  too  much,  is  exact, 
authoritative  and,  withal,  exceedingly  well  writ- 
ten. If  a  second  set  can  be  purchased,  it  may 
be  well  to  get  the  Britannica;  but  the  Britannica 
is  so  full  that  the  average  child  who  consults 
it  loses  himself  in  its  detailed  and  technical 
information  and  misses  the  salient  fact  for 
which  he  is  seeking.  Lippincott  's  "  Gazetteer 
q£  the  World  "  is  almost  a  necessity,  and  Lip- 
^incott's  "Biographical  Dictionary"  is  useful, 
though  much  of  itsmforinatioihlslo  be  found 
in  the  dictionaries  and  encyclopaedias.  The 
best  biographical  dictionaries  of  living  men  and 
^  women  are  "Who's  Who  in  America,"  and 
"Who's  Who"  (English),  which  should  be  re- 
placed by  new  editions  every  three  or  four  years, 
or  as  often  as  issued,  {k.  few  good  histories  of 
the  Eastern  nations,  Greece,  Rome,  FraifTce, 
Germany,  England,  and  the  United  State^;  a 
129 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

C  standard  geography,  like  Mill's  "Interaa- 
tional^;(^a  historical    atlas  —  Labberton's  is 

perhaps  the  best;  a  group  of  practical  science 

books  which  will  enable  children  to  identify  the 
flowers,  birds,  and  butterflies ;  a  simple  reference 
book  on  art,  such  as  Ho^'s  "  World's  Painters  ^ 
and  their  Pictures,"  and  on  mythology,  as  Bul- 

— finch's  "Age  of  Fable,"  or,  better,  Gayley's 
^  Classic  Myths  in  English  Literature  " ;  finally, 
a  book  of  famihar  quotations  —  Bartlett's,  by 
all  means,  and  a  year  book  of  current  knowl- 
edge—  either  the  "New  York  World's"  or  the 
"Chicago  Daily  News'"  annual  almanac, — 
these  form  the  nucleus  of  a  reference  library 
which  may  be  extended  as  the  needs  of  the 
pupils  demand  and  as  the  available  library 
funds  permit.  A  fuller  list  is  suggested  in  the 
Appendix. 

But  with  the  finest  possible  collection  of 
books  the  school  Ubrary  problem  is  only  half 
solved.  The  pupil  must  be  taught  to  iise  the 
library,  else  it  has  entirely  failed  of  its  purpose. 
There  are  unfortunately  some  schools  in  which 
the  pupil,  Uke  the  youth  in  the  Arabian  tale, 
has  treasures  of  priceless  value  just  before 
him,  but  cannot  reach  them  because  he  does 
130 


tHE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

not  know  the  talisman  which  can  open  the 
door.  More  than  a  half-century  ago,  Emer- 
son, with  his  prophetic  insight,  voiced  the  need 
of  a  professorship  of  books, —  of  the  employ- 
ment of  men  or  women  in  our  colleges  to  teach 
the  student  how  to  unlock  these  treasures, 
where  to  go  for  instant  information  on  any 
given  subject,  and  whom  to  trust  as  guides. 
This  need  is  now  met  in  some  of  our  colleges 
and  in  a  few  secondary  schools  by  reference 
librarians,  who  help  the  students  in  their 
researches  and  in  some  cases  give  them  talks 
on  the  use  of  the  card  catalogue,  Poole 's  Index, 
encyclopaedias  and  dictionaries,  systems  of 
classification,  and  whatever  else  may  tend  to 
make  them  familiar  with  the  library  and  per- 
fectly at  home  in  it.  In  the  graded  schools, 
too,  much  excellent  work  has  been  done  by 
the  children's  librarians  of  the  great  public 
libraries,  who  visit  the  school-rooms  at  the 
teacher's  invitation  and  talk  to  the  pupils 
familiarly  about  books  and  how  to  use  them. 

To  learn  how  to  read  and  to  get  the  most 

out  of  books  is  the  important  thing  in  our 

school   training.     Carlyle   has   said:   "If    we 

think  of  it,  all  that  a  university,  or  final  highest 

131 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

school  can  do  for  us,  is  still  but  what  the  first 
school  began  doing, — teach  us  to  read.  We 
leam  to  read,  in  various  languages,  in  various 
sciences;  we  leam  the  alphabet  and  letters  of 
all  manner  of  books.  But  the  place  where  wo, 
are  to  get  knowledge,  even  theoretic  knowl 
edge,  is  the  books  themselves!  It  depends  od 
what  we  read,  after  all  manner  of  professors 
have  done  their  best  for  us.  The  true  univer- 
sity of  these  days  is  a  collection  of  books." 


132 


// 

CHAPTER  VII 
THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

A  ROOM  in  the  sunniest  comer  of  the 
library  building,  ample  shelves  well 
stocked  with  books,  low  tables  around  which  sit 
a  score  of  children  reading,  whilst  a  sweet-faced 
woman  helps  them  find  the  books  they  want  and  &«s/^ 
introduces  them  to  the  world  of  the  great  and 
\  wise,  finally,  an  atmosphere  of  peace  in  which 
the  hurly-burly  of  the  outside  world  finds  no 
place  —  this  is  what  the  public  library  is  giving 
to  the  children. 
^  It  was  not  so  very  long  ago  that  children  in 
the  public  libraries,  like  dogs  in  the  parks, 
were  unwelcome  unless  kept  in  leash  by  a 
responsible  attendant.  If  one  of  tender  years 
happened  to  stray  into  those  awful  precincts 
alone,  he  was  gently  but  firmly  shown  to  the 
door  and  told  to  run  away.  But  all  this  is 
changed  now,  and  some  of  our  public  library 
authorities  are  raising  the  question  whether 
the  children  are  not  getting  more  than  their  j  ust 
share  of  attention,  to  the  neglect  of  their  elders. 
133 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

"The  story  hour,"  which  has  come  to  be 
a  recognized  institution  in  our  best  public 
libraries,  is  doing  as  much  as  any  other  library 
influence  to  interest  children  in  good  reading. 
A  certain  period  is  set  aside,  sometimes  regu- 
larly each  week,  sometimes  on  special  occasions 
or  holidays,  when  the  children's  librarian,  or 
an  expert  story-teller  from  without,  who  has 
both  sympathy  and  discrimination,  gathers 
the  children  about  her  and  tells  them  the  tales 
that  form  the  basis  of  our  best  literature.  Lis- 
tening to  stories  is  the  natural  approach  to 
reading  from  books,  and  is  the  first  step  toward 
the  acquisition  of  culture. 

But  it  is  not  only  in  the  reading-room  that 
children  are  made  to  know  and  to  love  books. 
As  Mahomet  to  the  mountain,  so  the  library 
goes  to  the  child,  if  the  child  will  not  come  to 
it.  The  idea  of  the  peripatetic  library  —  the 
"  travelling  library  "  as  it  is  now  generally  called 
—  is  in  line  with  modem  progress.  In  these 
twentieth  century  days  space  has  been  anni- 
hilated by  rail  and  steam,  inertia  has  been  over- 
come, locaUty  has  been  destroyed,  the  world 
is  on  wheels.  The  commercial  traveller  brings 
his  samples  to  the  country  merchant,  takes 
134 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

his  order,  and  sends  his  goods  in  an 
incredibly  short  interval  of  time;  the  uni- 
versity lecturer  deUvers  six  parallel  courses 
of  lectures  in  six  States  and  appears  at  each 
point  regularly  once  a  week ;  the  political  orator 
addresses  a  crowd  from  the  rear  platform  of 
his  special  car,  and  almost  before  the  words  of 
his  parting  injunction  have  faded  away  is  in  the 
next  town  urging  another  audience  to  vote 
for  Smith  and  defeat  the  rascal  Jones;  even 
churches  are  built  in  railroad  coaches,  the 
itinerant  evangelist  ministering  to  a  dozen 
charges  and  bringing  his  house  of  worship 
with  him.  What  then  so  natural  in  these  days 
of  locomotion  as  the  travelling  Ubrary? 

We  are  probably  indebted  to  the  Scotch  for 
the  germ  which  has  developed  into  this  impor- 
tant system  of  book  distribution.  Early  in 
the  last  century  —  in  1810  I  beUeve  it  was  —  a 
collection  of  religious  tracts  was  circulated  in 
Scotland,  augmented  a  few  years  later  by 
books  of  standard  literature  and  science. 
These  "  itinerant  libraries,"  so-called,  flourished 
for  more  than  two  decades  but  finally  died 
of  inanition.  Thirty  years  after  their  dis- 
appearance Australia  developed  a  peripatetic 
135 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

system,  and  somewhat  later  the  Universities 
of  Oxford  and  Cambridge  sent  out  university 
extension  libraries;  but  the  travelling  library 
in  this  country  dates  from  1889  and  owes  its 
origin  to  Mr.  Melvil  Dewey,  director  of  the 
New  York  State  Library,  at  Albany. 

The  travelling  library  is  simply  an  extension 
of  the  State  library,  or  in  some  cases,  as  in  Wis- 
consin, of  the  county  library, —  twenty-five, 
or  fifty,  or  a  hundred  books  being  sent  out  at 
a  time  and  entrusted  for  three  months  or  six 
months  to  the  care  of  a  responsible  person, 
who  becomes  a  local  or  sub-Ubrarian.  This 
local  librarian  loans  the  books  to  children  as 
well  as  to  adults,  under  a  simple  code  of  regu- 
lations, returning  the  entire  library  when  it 
has  served  its  purpose  and  receiving  in  ex- 
change a  new  selection  of  books,  thus  keeping 
alive  the  interest  of  the  readers  and  stimula- 
ting them  to  read.  Stations  are  established 
in  village  shops  and  post-oflBces,  often  in 
farm  houses  at  some  distance  from  the  towns 
but  conveniently  located  with  reference  to  the 
rural  population.  In  a  number  of  States  trav- 
elling librarians  are  employed.  The  travelling 
librarian  is  a  real  literary  evangeUst,  preaching 
136 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

the  gospel  of  good  books.  He  strengthens  the 
hands  of  the  local  librarian,  revives  the 
flagging  interest,  establishes  new  centres, 
and  carries  light  into  the  dark  places.  What 
a  field  of  usefulness  is  open  to  him!  Coming 
into  personal  contact  with  hundreds  of  people, 
young  and  old,  to  whom  the  worid  of  books 
is  a  terra  incognita,  he  rescues  many  a  country 
youth  from  intellectual  starvation,  fans  in  some 
the  spark  which  shall  kindle  into  genius,  and 
in  others  not  so  gifted  stimulates  the  intelli- 
gent use  of  the  powers  which  they  possess,  in- 
suring at  least  better  crops  and  broader  citizen- 
ship. 

The  transportation  of  the  libraries  from  place 
to  place  offers  a  problem  which  each  State  is 
working  out  for  itself.  In  some  localities,  not- 
ably in  the  South,  the  railroads,  recognizing 
the  philantliropy  of  the  idea  which  underlies 
this  library  movement,  are  shipping  the  libra- 
ries without  charge.  In  other  parts  of  the 
country  the  local  centre  pays  a  nominal  amount 
to  cover  the  cost  of  freight.  Mr.  Dewey 
strongly  advocates,  and  has  already  put  into 
commission  in  New  York,  a  type  of  library 
wagon  driven  by  a  trained  librarian,  who,  after 
137 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

the  manner  of  the  religious  colporter  of  a 
former  generation,  goes  from  station  to  station, 
canying  his  books  with  him. 

The  children  have  a  large  share  in  the  travel- 
ling library.  In  most  libraries  from  one-fourth 
to  one-third  of  the  books  are  adapted  particu- 
larly to  children's  use,  and  children  are  among 
the  most  devoted  readers.  In  a  small  village  in 
New  York  State  a  girl  of  thirteen  recently 
drew  from  a  travelling  library  during  the  six 
months  of  its  stay  thirty-two  books.  A  boy 
of  fifteen  drew  twenty-five  books.  The  statis- 
tics at  other  points  show  an  interest  almost  as 
great. 

Several  of  our  large  city  libraries,  notably 
the  Carnegie  Library  of  Pittsburgh  and  the  New 
York  City  public  hbrary,  have  adapted  the 
travelUng  system  to  urban  conditions  and  are 
sending  out  into  the  tenements  trained  chil- 
dren's librarians,  bearing  good  books.  The 
books,  in  libraries  containing  from  twelve  to 
twenty  volumes,  known  as  "home  librarieSj" 
are  placed  in  the  hands  of  certain  families,  who 
agree  to  take  care  of  them  for  a  specified  time 
and  to  loan  them  to  such  neighbors  as  may 
wish  to  read.  Little  circles  are  thus  formed 
-     138 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

— for  the  most  part  of  children,  though  grown- 
up members  of  the  famihes  join  in  them,  too. 
The  Ubrary  visitor  comes  once  a  week  and 
talks  to  them,  tells  them  stories  —  such  stories 
as  are  told  to  the  Ubrary  children  during  the 
"  story  hour."  Then  she  makes  the  connection 
between  the  story  and  the  book,  taking  a  volume 
from  the  case,  and  reading  a  few  interesting 
pages  from  it.  After  a  friendly  hour  she  goes 
away,  leaving  the  seed  to  germinate.  When 
one  set  of  books  has  been  read  through  she 
brings  a  new  set  and  takes  the  old  ones  back  — 
very  dirty,  probably,  but  the  city  can  well  af- 
ford to  bum  them  and  buy  more,  for  the  books 
are  making  citizens,  and  these  children  who  are 
learning  to  read  good  literature  will  not  need 
so  many  poUcemen  to  look  after  them  a  few 
years  hence,  thanks  to  the  library  visitor. 

Nor  does  this  beautiful  and  far-reaching 
philanthropy  stop  with  the  reading  of  books. 
The  library  worker  gains  the  confidence  of 
parents  as  well  as  of  children.  She  learns  the 
troubles  and  discouragements  of  the  lower 
strata  of  society,  and  is  able  to  give  help.  She 
does  much  of  the  work  usually  accomplished 
by  the  "friendly  visitor"   of  the  charitable 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

organizations,  and  does  it  more  effectively, 
for  the  unfortunate  ones  who  are  most  in 
need  of  aid  and  sympathy  are  shy  in  the 
presence  of  charity  and  often  suspicious  of 
the  church. 

Another  important  movement  in  library  ex- 
tension has  to  do  with  the  plflg^pg  of  libranas 
ill  the  schools,  its  aim  being  to  bring  into  accord 
the  work  of  the  two  great  educational  influences 
of  the  present  age,  the  public  library  and  the 
public  school.  When  one  stops  to  consider 
the  many  points  at  which  the  work  of  the 
librarian  and  the  teacher  overlap,  it  will  be 
seen  that  a  great  saving  of  energy  and  an 
enormous  gain  in  efficiency  must  result  from 
this  union.  The  function  of  the  library  is  to 
put  the  right  book  into  the  right  hands  —  not 
only  into  the  hands  that  are  outstretched  for 
it  but  into  those  in  which  it  will  do  good.  The 
librarian,  busied  with  the  details  of  adminis- 
trative work,  purchasing,  classifying,  cata- 
loguing, keeping  in  order,  though  she  may  have 
—  and  must  have  —  sympathy  with  the  chil- 
dren who  frequent  the  library,  cannot  come 
into  that  close  relationship  with  them  which 
is  enjoyed  by  the  teacher,  who  has  them  with 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

her  six  hours  in  every  day,  Sundays  and  holi- 
days excepted,  who  directs  their  intellectual 
progress,  and  who  comes  to  know  their  needs 
more  intelligently  and  often  more  sympathet- 
ically than  even  the  parent. 

These  considerations  have  led  to  the  devel- 
opment of  a  system  in  which  the  public  library 
places  its  resources  at  the  conunand  of  the 
schools,  the  librarian  giving  of  her  practical 
knowledge  of  the  books,  and  the  teacher  of 
her  knowledge  of  the  child.  The  librarian 
visits  the  school  and  talks  to  the  children,  tells 
them  how  to  "find  things"  in  books,  tells  the 
younger  ones  a  few  good  classic  stories  and 
suggests  where  they  may  find  others,  tells  the 
older  ones  how  to  use  a  card  catalogue,  how 
to  run  down  a  reference,  where  to  find  good 
material  to  help  them  in  their  history  and 
geography.  The  teacher  makes  individual  ap- 
plication of  the  librarian's  generaUties  and  fits 
a  particular  book  to  a  particular  want.  The 
librarian  is  the  specialist ;  she  has  at  her  fingers' 
ends  the  entire  Materia  Medica  of  the  Ubrary, 
and  is  skilled  in  the  uses  of  all  sorts  of  books; 
but  the  teacher  is  familiar  with  the  cliild's 
constitution  and  habits,  a  sort  of  knowledge 
141 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

quite  as  important.  Consultation  of  this  sort  is 
in  line  with  modem  practice  and  is  yielding  pro- 
nounced results  in  school-rooms  where  it  has 
been  tried.  The  books  are  supplied  from  the 
school  hbrary,  so  far  as  the  school  library  can 
meet  the  demand;  but  beyond  that  point  the 
public  hbrary  is  drawn  upon  and  offers  from 
its  greater  resources  a  wide  range  of  reference 
material  and  books  on  special  subjects  appro- 
priate either  to  the  work  of  the  class  or  to  the 
celebration  of  the  annual  festivals  and  the 
birthdays  of  great  men  and  women.  These 
books  are  sent  to  the  school-room  for  reference 
or  distribution,  and  the  school  is  thus  made  in 
effect  a  branch  library,  or,  if  you  please,  a 
travelling  library  station. 

If  the  public  library  is  convenient  to  the 
school  —  and  in  villages  it  always  should  be  — 
the  reference  work  is  often  best  done  in  the 
library  itself.  This  method  has  the  double 
advantage  of  affording  a  quiet  place  in  which 
the  pupil  may  work  without  distraction,  and 
of  familiarizing  him  with  the  library  —  helping 
him  to  acquire  the  "library  habit."  If  the 
alliance  of  school  and  library  accomplished 
nothing  beyond  this,  it  would  be  well  worth 
142 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

all  the  efforts  that  have  been  put  forth  in  its 
behalf. 

The  object  sought  by  both  librarian  and 
teacher  is  the  culture  of  the  child  —  particu- 
larly the  development  in  him  of  a  discrimina- 
Jdng  love  of  books,  for  this  is  the  straight  road 
to  culture.  The  child  is  placed  by  law  under 
the  influence  of  the  teacher  during  just  those 
years  when,  if  ever,  the  reading  habit  is  formed 
and  the  trend  given  which  determines  the 
child's  intellectual  hfe.  It  is  a  critical  period, 
and  no  agency  should  be  overlooked  which  can 
contribute  toward  the  end  in  view. 

In  such  ways  as  these  the  pubUc  library  is 
reaching  out  after  the  children.  In  the  coun- 
try farm-house,  in  the  city  tenement,  and  in  the 
school-room,  as  well  as  under  its  own  roof-tree, 
it  is  bringing  to  them  the  knowledge  of  a  great 
new  world  —  a  world  of  opportunity,  of  en- 
couragement, of  delight.  It  is  extending  their 
vision  over  distant  lands  and  bygone  centuries, 
acquainting  them  with  the  secrets  of  nature 
and  the  mysteries  of  science,  opening  their 
hearts  to  the  sweet  influences  of  poetry,  and 
pointing  out  to  them  the  path  of  righteousness 
and  truth. 

143 


CHAPTER  Vin 
THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

OLD  Richard  de  Bury,  writing  his  "  Philo- 
bibUon,"  more  than  five  centuries  ago, 
quaintly  apostrophizes  books:  "O  books!  Ye 
are  the  golden  pots  in  which  manna  is  stored 
and  rocks  flowing  with  honey,  nay,  combs  of 
honey,  most  plenteous  udders  of  the  milk  of 
hfe,  gamers  ever  full;  ye  are  the  tree  of  life- 
and  the  fourfold  river  of  Paradise.  Ye  are 
the  stones  of  testimony  and  the  pitchers  hold- 
ing the  lamps  of  Gideon,  the  scrip  of  David 
from  which  the  smoothest  stones  are  taken  for 
the  slaying  of  Goliath.  Ye  are  the  golden 
vessels  of  the  temple,  the  arms  of  the  soldiers 
of  the  Church,  with  which  to  quench  all  the 
fiery  darts  of  the  wicked." 

Richard  de  Bury's  hbrary  was,  no  doubt, 
largely  theological  in  its  scope  —  as  became  a 
worthy  churchman.  There  were,  of  course, 
copies  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics  and  a 
sprinkhng  of  the  more  frivolous  poets,  which 
he  excuses  as  being,  on  the  whole,  not  antag- 
Ui 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

onistic  to  truth,  because  a.  man  "may  make 
of  any  subject,  observing  the  Umitations  of 
virtue,  a  study  acceptable  to  God."  But  as 
during  the  Dark  Ages,  the  monasteries  were 
the  houses  of  learning,  and  as  monks  were  the 
writers  as  well  as  the  copyists  of  books,  it  was 
inevitable  that  Hterature  should  take  on  a 
religious  hue  and  that  its  function  should  be 
regarded  as  particulariy  to  strengthen  the  faith, 
and,  as  the  good  bishop  put  it,  "to  quench  the 
fiery  darts  of  the  wicked." 

More  than  four  hundred  years  after  Richard 
de  Bury's  expression  regarding  the  use  of  books, 
the  Sunday-school  Ubrary  came  into  being, — 
and  it  is  surprising  to  note  how  little  change 
had  taken  place  in  the  Church's  conception  of 
literature.  Books  were  pubUshed,  it  is  true, 
which  were  merely  entertaining,  and  some  few 
which  were  both  entertaining  and  ennobling, 
but  the  founders  of  the  Sunday-school  Ubrary 
frowned  upon  them,  feeling  that  the  books 
which  the  Church  offered  to  her  children  should 
be  religious  books, —  nothing  else.  This  feel- 
ing resulted  in  a  class  of  juvenile  hterature 
which  was  unspeakably  dreary;  and  not  only 
dreary,  but  puerile  as  well,  for  its  authors 
U5 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

found  it  necessary  to  dilute  their  theology  and 
administer  it  for  the  most  part  in  story 
form,  in  order  to  induce  the  child  to  read  it  at 
all. 

This  religious  fiction  was  sharply  distin- 
guished from  all  common  or  profane  fiction  and 
showed,  with  some  variations,  piety  triumphant 
and  the  sinner  punished.  The  eariiest  Sunday- 
school  literature  was  more  or  less  sectarian, 
each  denomination  through  its  accredited  pub- 
lishing house  issuing  its  own  books  and  holding 
itself  responsible  for  the  strict  orthodoxy  of  its 
output.  Later,  this  idea  gave  way  to  the 
broader  view  that  mooted  points  of  theology 
should  be  excluded  from  Sunday-school  litera- 
ture —  a  plan  which  made  the  books  a  trifle 
less  heavy,  but  did  not  alter  their  other  char- 
acteristics. The  heroes  and  heroines  were  still 
pretematurally  pious  and  generally  died  young. 
Their  pleasures  were  unworldly,  and  their  en- 
thusiasms were  of  that  spiritual  sort  which  no 
healthy  boy  or  girl  can  understand.  I  remem- 
ber how  in  my  childhood  I  disliked  them  — 
how  I  feared  to  be  too  good  lest  I  might  in 
some  faint  way  resemble  them  and  might,  like 
them,  be  marked  for  early  death. 
146 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  this  literature 
had  failed  in  its  object,  because  no  normal  child 
would  read  it  except  upon  compulsion,  and 
having  read  it,  was  likely  to  be  driven  into  an 
attitude  of  hostility  to  the  things  which  it  set 
forth.  The  conception  of  the  Sunday-school 
library  then  underwent  a  change.  It  was  sec- 
ularized, and  from  being  an  effort  at  religious 
training  it  became  merely  a  sort  of  lure,  like 
the  reward-of-merit  card,  the  prize  book,  and 
the  Sunday-school  picnic.  Ohver  Optic  and 
Henty  displaced  the  pious  stories  of  earher 
years  and  Huckleberry  Finn  became  a  popular 
favorite.  For  a  time  this  new  idea  of  the  Sun- 
day-school library  accomplished  its  purpose, 
but  as  the  public  library,  growing  in  popularity 
and  influence  and  extending  along  the  same 
lines,  has  been  able  to  place  a  fuller  and  better 
class  of  books  within  reach  of  children  every- 
where, the  library  in  the  Sunday  school  has 
finally  lost  its  power  to  attract,  and  has  found 
no  longer  an  excuse  for  being.  Thus  we  hear 
of  the  passing  of  the  Sunday-school  library, 
and  many  eminent  Sunday-school  workers  and 
speakers  have  sung  its  requiem. 

For  my  part,  I  believe  there  is  still  a  place 
li7 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

for  it.  It  will  not  be  the  library  of  the  former 
generation  with  its  cant  and  artificiality,  nor 
that  of  the  present  generation  with  its  sensa- 
tionalism, but  a  library  of  pure,  good  literature 
at  once  attractive  and  ennobling  —  a  literature 
which  shall  assist  in  the  work  of  the  Sunday 
school  by  teaching  better  morals  and  advancing 
higher  ideals;  and  an  important  division  of  it 
shall  be  devoted  frankly  to  subjects  connected 
more  or  less  intimately  with  the  study  of  the 
Bible. 

Will  you  serve  with  us,  kind  reader,  on  a 
committee  entrusted  with  the  reorganization  of 
a  library  along  such  lines  as  we  have  indicated  ? 
The  destructive  work  must  precede  the  con- 
structive, and  will  prove  quite  stimulating,  we 
are  sure,  for  man  is  naturally  a  destructive 
animal,  never  quite  outgrowing  the  joy  of 
smashing  things;  and  to  be  turned  into  an 
average  collection  of  Sunday-school  books  with 
a  free  hand  causes  all  one's  savage  instincts  to 
rise  up  and  take  possession  of  him. 

Upon  what,  then,  shall  we  first  la^ 

hands  ?  There  is  that  long  line  of  "ElsieWoks,' 

with  their  vapid   sentimentality,   tracing  the 

heroine  from  early  childhood  to  old  age  and 

US 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

continuing  the  baneful  succession  through  her 
children,  grandchildren,  and  various  kin.  She 
is  taken  east,  west,  north,  and  south,  to  the 
World's  Fair,  to  Nantucket,  to — Heaven  knows 
where.  There  are  thirty-five  volumes  of  the 
stuff,  including  those  devoted  to  **  Mildred,"  a 
friend  of  Elsie's,  who  also  grows  up,  is  married, 
and  has  children  expressly  to  provide  material 
for  more  volumes.  This  is  probably  the  most 
useless  lumber  that  we  shall  find  in  the  library. 
Into  the  dust-bin  with  itl 

Then  there  are  the  "  PpMy"  books  by  Sophie 
May,  intended  for  somewhat  younger  readers. 
Shall  they  share  the  same  fate?  Perhaps  you 
suggest  that  they  are  interesting  to  small  chil- 
dren, rather  bright  —  in  spots  —  and  really  do 
no  harm.  Faint  praise,  it  must  be  confessed, 
and  yet  not  altogether  warranted.  For  while 
one  or  two  volumes  of  this  sort  may  furnish 
innocent  diversion,  what  shall  we  say  of  thirty  ? 
Children  are  fond  of  them,  no  doubt.  So  are 
they  fond  of  pie,  but  pie  in  unlimited  quantities 
is  generally  held  to  be  inferior  to  bread  as  an 
article  of  diet.  The  most  remarkable  feature 
of  both  the  Prudy  and  the  Elsie  books  is  their 
persistent  continuity.  Each  volume  contains 
149 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

the  germ  of  another,  suggesting  those  cleverly 
made  nests  of  boxes  deAdsed,  we  believe,  by  the 
Japanese,  each  box  of  which  on  being  opened 
discloses  another  within,  a  little  smaller,  until 
the  investigator  reaches  one  so  tiny  as  to  seem 
scarcely  worth  opening  at  all.  Yet  he  has  not 
reached  the  end !  It  is  wonderful  how  long  it 
is  before  he  does  reach  it. 

That  shelfful  of  books  with  worn  bindmgs, 
indicative  of  much  use,  are  the  Olivgp^ptic 
output,  the  delight  of  two  generations  of  boys. 
The  writer  was  recently  asked  for  an  opinion 
as  to  whether  these  books  are  harmless,  and  at 
first  was  inclined  to  deal  leniently  with  them. 
I  remembered  a  small  boy  who  some  thirty 
years  ago  or  more  —  I  will  not  say  how  many 
more  —  read  them  and  named  his  dogs  and 
rabbits, — yes,  and  even  insensate  spools — after 
their  heroes,  and  acted  out  the  glorious  fights 
of  Waddy  Wimpleton  and  Tommy  Toppleton, 
or  shut  up  the  vicious  Shuffles  in  the  brig  of 
the  Young  America.  I  remembered  how  he 
squandered  the  small  earnings  of  several  weeks 
to  hear  their  accomplished  author  in  a  public 
reading,  and  actually  shook  hands  with  him 
after  it,  and  went  away  with  a  sense  of  awe 
150 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

greater  than  if  he  had  touched  the  hand  of 
royalty.  Many  men  of  the  present  generation 
have  that  kindly  feeling  for  Mr.  Adams  which 
is  bom  of  boyish  memories.  But  have  you 
ever  reread  one  of  his  books  since  your  peg-top 
days?  I  did,  as  an  experiment,  partly  in  the 
interest  of  literature  and  partly,  I  confess,  with 
a  hope  that  I  might  feel  again  one  of  those 
rare  thrills  that  used  to  come  with  the  reading 
of  them  —  but  I  did  not  finish  the  book.  I 
stopped  midway  with  that  sense  of  mingled 
sorrow  and  humiliation  which  often  follows  the 
disillusionment  of  a  first  love.  Seen  in  the 
light  of  maturer  judgment,  these  heroes  of  Mr. 
Adams's  are  tawdry  enough,  and  their  declama- 
tions suggestive  of  cheap  melodrama.  The  best 
that  can  be  said  of  the  Optic  books  is  that  they 
are  not  immoral;  as  for  their  Hterary  quality, 
they  are  the  veriest  claptrap.  In  number  they 
are  imposing,  there  being  by  actual  count  one 
hundred  seventeen  of  them.  What  can  be 
expected  from  a  writer,  of  very  moderate  abil- 
ity, who  chooses  to  spread  his  energy  over  so 
wide  a  space  ? 

A  successful  rival  of  Oliver  Optic  for  the 
favor  of  the  present  generation   of   boys   is 
151 


\   CHILDREN'S  READING 

George^.  Henty,  the  English  war  correspond- 
ent/He has  written  only  seventy-three  books, 
and  is  therefore  not  entitled  to  quite  the  con- 
sideration due  to  the  achievements  of  his  some- 
what elder  American  contemporary.  Yet  in  his 
seventy-three  volumes  he  has  given  us  consider- 
ably more  bloodshed  than  we  find*  in  Oliver 
Optic's  one  hundred  seventeen.  He  fairiy  revels 
in  gore.  His  admirers  point  to  the  fact  that  he 
is  writing  history,  and  therefore  finds  it  neces- 
sary to  introduce  a  quantity  of  slaughter;  but 
history  is  not  all  slaughter,  and  boys  will  grow 
up  into  more  peaceful  citizens  if  they  have 
rather  less  of  that  sort  of  thing.  With  Henty, 
history  is  only  a  background  for  a  story,  and 
often,  as  he  portrays  it,  not  a  very  consistent  or 
truthful  background.  From  "The  Cat  of  Bu- 
bastes"  to  BuUer's  campaign  in  South  Africa, 
he  touches  almost  every  period,  but  his  best 
books  are  those  describing  the  modem  English 
warfare,  of  which  he  himself  was  an  eye-witness 
and  about  which  he  is  therefore  competent  Uy 
speak.  \      y^ 

We  now  reach  the  Reverend  E.  pX^oe's 
novels,  once  in  high  repute  for  Suflday-school 
libraries  and  much  read  by  those  who  abstain 
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THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

from  ordinary  fiction,  deeming  it  trivial,  but 
who  feel  justified  in  taking  deep  draughts  of 
this  particular  sort  because  of  its  religious 
stimulus.  Mr.  Roe's  books  belong  to  that 
class  of  fiction  the  heroines  of  which  Miss 
Repplier  has  happily  described  as  "dividing 
their  time  impartially  between  flirting  and 
praying,  between  indiscriminate  kisses  and 
passionate  searching  for  light."  Now,  no  rea- 
sonable person  can  object  to  a  good,  frank  love 
story,  such  a  story,  for  example,  as  "The  Bride 
of  Lammermoor"  or  "Loma  Doone";  but 
your  stories  in  which  religion  is  used  as  a  mask 
for  love-making,  or  in  which  love-making  is 
employed  as  a  sugar-coating  for  a  sermon,  are 
bad,  and  the  sooner  we  throw  them  out  the 
better.  v    ^^,,^^ 

ks,  for  Miss  Rosa  -Nr5uchette  Carey,  there 
is  little  in  her  volumes  worth  tjie  reading. 
Miss^^^W^therell  and  Miss  Am^toCqa  Douglas  I 
place,  on  good  authority,  m  the  same  class. 
I  have  not  read  their  books.  In  view  of  the 
brevity  of  hfe  and  the  fact  that  there  is  more 
good  Uterature  in  print  than  I  can  ever  hope  to 
acquire,  I  have  followed  Bacon's  suggestion 
and  have  been  content  with  reading  a  few 
153 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

of  these  volumes  by  deputy  —  with  much 
sympathy,  be  it  said,  for  the  deputy. 

But,  happily,  there  is  a  pleasanter  side  to 
this  discussion.  It  is  the  constructive  side. 
Having  disposed  of  the  rubbish,  what  shall  we 
put  in  our  library  ? 

First  of  all,  books  that  he^p  to  h]^](\  char- 
acter._„By  this  we  do  ^  not,  mean  formally 
religious  or  formally  moral  books,  or,  in  fact, 
any  formal  sort  of  books  whatever.  The 
moral  influence  of  a  book  is  like  the  fragrance 
of  a  flower.  It  is  intangible.  A  moral  which 
obtrudes  itself  repels  a  child.  He  must  not 
know  that  there  is  in  the  book  a  sermon  for 
him.  It  is  better  that  the  author  who  writes 
it  shall  not  know.  But  a  good  man  or  woman 
writing  for  children  —  and  writing  with  judg- 
ment and  literary  skill  —  cannot  any  more  help 
making  a  morally  helpful  book  than  he  can 
help  influencing  morally  the  people  with  whom 
he  comes  in  contact.  He  will  unconsciously 
write  himself  into  his  work. 

Many  books  have  been  written,  hke  those  of 
a  former  generation  already  referred  to,  which 
are  exceedingly  moral,  yet  which  fail  of  any  in- 
fluence because  they  are  so  insufferably  dull. 
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THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

Therefore  the  second  qualification  of  a  good 
Sunday-school  book  is  that  it  shallj)e^interest- 
^gj— interesting  not  so  much  to  the  book- 
worm who  will  read  anything,  but  to  tfie  normal 
child  who  Ukes  life  and  action  and  who  will  not 
read  any  book  in  which  he  does  not  find  them. 
The  third  qualification  is  that  the  book  shall 
have  hterary  merit,; —  that  it  shall  be  a  real 
book,  not  a  clumsy  imitation  of  one.  Charles 
Lamb  in  one  of  his  essays  writes :  "  I  confess 
that  it  moves  my  spleen  to  see  these  things  in 
books'  clothing  perched  upon  shelves  like  false 
saints,  usurpers  of  true  shrines."  There  are 
many  books  written  to  instruct  or  to  entertain 
the  young  which  fall  into  Lamb's  classification 
of  biblia  a-biblia,  together  with  "court  calen- 
dars, almanacs,  draught-boards  bound  and 
lettered  at  the  back  'Paley's  Moral  Philo- 
sophy;' "  etc.  They  are  not  books  in  the  hter- 
ary sense ;  there  is  nothing  literary  about  them. 
Their  authors  presume  upon  the  all-embracing 
appetite  of  childhood,  and  think  that  the  young 
reader  will  not  know  that  he  is  being  cheated. 
They  are  like  the  man  who  fed  bricks  to  the 
ostrich.  The  ostrich  ate  them  thankfully,  but 
they  did  not  agree  with  him,  and  he  died. 
155 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Now,  it  may  not  be  the  functlQa-Of  the  Sun- 
da;^^chool,to  teach  literature, —  aside  from  the 
literature  of  the  Bible, —  but  in  teaching  morals 
and  religion  it  cannot  aflFord  to  ignore  anything 
that  will  minister  to  the  child's  complete 
development;  least  of  all  can  it  afford  to  give 
him  that  which  will  weaken  one  of  his  finest 
faculties.  The  German  government  requires 
that  its  army  oflScers  visit  the  art  galleries  and 
go  to  the  opera  a  reasonable  number  of  times 
each  year.  This  is  not  to  make  them  better 
soldiers,  but  to  make  them  better  men.  Surely, 
the  aim  of  the  Sunday  school  should  not  be  less 
inclusive. 

These,  then,  are  the  three  requisites  of  a  ^ 
good  Sunday-school  book:  moral  influence, -  - 
interest,  and  literary  strength.  It  may  be 
argued  that  these  are  also  the  requisites  of 
a  good  pubhc  Ubrary  book  for  children,  or 
of  a  good  school  library  book.  In  a  broad 
sense  this  is  true,  but  the  Sunday-school  library 
should  emphasize  somewhat  more  strongly  the 
moral  element  and  give  less  attention,  except 
in  the  department  of  Bible  study,  to  the  merely 
informational. 

Fiction  there  should  be,  and  plenty  of  it, 
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THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

provided  only  it  is  strgng^  aiwLtnie —  For  the 
older  readers,  Scott  and  Thackeray  and  Dickens 
and  Georjge  EUotj  for  the  younger,  the  standard 
stories  already  mentioned  as  suitable  for  school 
and  home.  I  think  the  Sunday-school  book 
which  impressed  me  most  as  a  boy  was  Edward 
Everett  Hale's  "  In  His  Name,"  a  strong  and 
beautiful  story  of  the  Waldenses.  This  is  a 
type  of  the  best  fiction  for  young  people,  a 
book  that  leaves  with  one  a  sense  of  the  beauty 
of  righteousness,  that  strengthens  faith,  that 
gives  to  life  a  fuller  and  a  deeper  meaning,  and 
that  brings  one  a  little  nearer  to  the  Author  of 
Ufe. 

Other  works  not  so  religious  in  spirit  have  a 
similar  effect.     Miss  Alcott's  "  Little  Women  "      -7'^ 
and  "  Little  Men  "  exercise  a  profound  influence  i;u— ^ 
for  good  by  showing  the  charm  of  a  pure, 
healthy,  joyous  home  life.     It  cannot,  perhaps, 
be  expected  that  all  of  Miss  Alcott's  stories      . 
should  be  as  good  as  these,  but  "The  Old-  |/     {^^ 
Fashioned  Girl "  is  not  far  behind  them. 

Susan  CooUdge  has  written  a  few  good  books 
and  others  not  so  good.    Her  "Katy  Did"(/^ 
books  start  well,  but  her  last   title,    "What 
Katy  Did  Next,"  is  a  naive  admission  of  an 
157 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

exhausted  inventive  faculty.  She  finishes  her 
heroine  in  three  books,  and  deserves  credit  for 
not  dragging  her  through  six. 

Mrs.   Burnett's   "Little  Lord  Fauntleroy'* 

and  "  The  Little  Princess  "  (the  revised  version 

of  "  Sara  Crewe  " )  are  interesting  and  helpful ; 

o-« — so  are  Mrs.  Dodge's  "Hans  Brinker,"  "The 

^^ — Land  of  Pluck,"  and  "Donald  and  Dorothy"; 

\    Mrs.    Jackson's   stories,    "Ramona"   for   the 

C^-  \  older   children,    "Nelly's    Silver   Mine"    and 

I  **  Cat  Stories  "  for  the  younger ;  Mrs.  Richard's 

/  "Captain  January,"  "Melody,"  and  "Queen 

) — Hildegarde  " ;     Miss     Wiggin's     "  Rebecca, 'i——g3 

"  Timothy's  Quest,"  and  "  Polly  Oliver's  Prob-  —Q 
lem";  Mrs.  Whitney's  "We  Giris,"  "Home- 
spun Yams,"  and  "  Faith  Gartney's  Girihood  "; 
Miss  Jewett's  "  Play  Days  "  and  "  Betty  Leices- 
ter's Christmas " ;  Miss  Johnston's  "  Little  ""O 
Colonel"  and  "Two  Little  Knights  of  Ken- 
'\tucky." 

Of  stories  of  boy  life,  Hughes's  "Tom  Brown 
at  Rugby  "  deserves  the  first  place.    More  mod- 
em and  appealing  somewhat  more  strongly  to 
y  American  boys  are  those  three  stories  by  Ralph 
/   Barbour,  "  For  the  Honor  of  the  School,"  "  The 
/    Half-Back,"  and  "Behind  the  Line."  Holland's 

158 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

"Arthur  Bonnicastle,"  slightly  different  in  its 
atmosphere,  is  a  strong  book  with  a  lesson. 
Edward  Eggleston's  "Hoosier  School  Boy," 
Page's  "Two  Little  Confederates,"  and  J.  T.  O 
Trowbridge's  glowing  pictures  of  boyish  activ- 
ity are  strong  and  inspiring. 

From    contemporary    English    and    Scotch 
writers  we  have  some  of  the  best  stories  forv 
young  people  that  have  ever  been  written.  / 
WiUiam  Black,  Ralph  Connor,  Ian  Maclaren,  L 
George  Macdonald,  Mrs.  Mulock-Craik,  and  f 
Miss  Ewing  have  widened  the  range  of  our  | 
children's  reading  and  have  given  them  both 
good  Uterature  and  a  moral  uplift. 

I  am  old-fashioned  enough  to  believe  that 
with  these  modem  stories  our  young  people 
should  not  be  allowed  to  lose  sight  of  the  novels 
of  Jane  Ai^step  and  Maria  Edgeworth^  They  ^y 
are  not  in  very  high  repute  during  these  strenu- 
ous modem  days  and,  it  must  be  confessed,  are 
not  very  stirring.  But  they  are  natural  and 
simple  and  healthful, —  far  more  healthful 
than  our  highly  spiced  modem  fiction.  Char- 
lotte Bronte,  too,  and  Jane  Porter  and  Mrs.  / 
Charles  should  find  a  place  in  our  list. 

ITien,  leaving  Fiction,  there  is  the  field  of 
169 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Biography.  Biography  is  the  moral,  respon- 
sibie  element  in  history.  It  is  history  in  the 
concrete.  Aside  from  showing  the  influence 
that  an  individual  may  exercise  on  the  world 
or  the  nation,  it  oflfers  to  the  young  the  stimulus 
of  great  examples.  We  should  recommend  not 
so  much  the  biographies  of  Caesar  and  Napo- 
leon as  of  Washington,  of  FrankUn,  of  Lincoln, 
of  Nelson,  of  Robert  L.  Stevenson,  of  Horace/' 
Greeley,  of  John  G.  Whittier,  of  Frances  Wil-  \ 
lard,  of  Louisa  M.  Alcott.  One  of  the  most^ 
stirring  biographies  of  recent  times  is  that  of 
John  G.  Paton,  missionary  to  the  New  Hebri- 
des, edited  by  his  brother,  James  Paton.  It  is 
thrilling  enough  to  suit  any  boy,  and  it  empha- 
sizes the  point  so  often  overlooked,  that  success 
in  life  is  not  always  to  be  measured  by  con- 
ventional standards,  and  that  to  do  good  is 
better  than  to  be  famous.f  Balfour's  "Life  of 
Stevenson,"  Southey's  "Life  of  Nelson,"  Scud- 
der's  "George  Washington,"  BuLterworth's 
"  Boyhood  of  Lincoln,"  Elbridge  Brooks's  biog- 
raphies of  Lincoln,  LaFayette,  and  Grant,  Dr. 
Hale's  "A  New  England  Boyhood,"  Miss  Bol- 
ton's books  of  "Boys  and  Girls  who  became— —-2) 
Famous,"  Barton's  "Captains  of  Industry," 
160 


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THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

Riis's  "The  Making  of  an  American,"  Booker       "O 
Washington's  "Up  from  Slavery,"  Helen  Kel-      ^ 
ler's  "Story  of  My  Life"  —  these  are  but  types 
of  the  sort  of  biography  that  generates  moral 
force. 

History  should  be  represented,  as  in  the 
school  or  public  library.  Lowell,  in  his  ad- 
dress at  the  opening  of  the  pubUc  library  at 
Chelsea,  concisely  expressed  its  ethical  value 
when  he  said :  "  It  teaches  that  there  is  a  sternly 
logical  sequence  in  human  affairs,  and  that 
chance  has  but  a  trifling  dominion  over  them, 
—  teaches  perhaps  more  than  anything  else 
the  value  of  personal  character  as  a  chief  factor 
in  what  used  to  be  called  destiny." 

Geography,  Travel,  Nature,  and  Science  will 
find  a  place,  of  course,  but  not  so  important  a 
place  as  in  the  school  or  public  library,  since 
these  branches  are  for  the  most  part  instructive 
rather  than  inspirational.  Local  conditions 
will  have  much  to  do  in  determining  the  pro- 
portion which  they  should  bear  to  the  rest  of  the 
hbrary.  If  the  public  library  is  not  easily 
accessible  or  not  much  used  by  the  children, 
books  of  this  character  should  be  more  numer- 
ous than  otherwise. 

161 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Under  the  head  of  Essays  and  Miscellanies 
may  be  grouped  a  class  of  books  which  afford 
opportunities  for  both  inspiration  and  cul- 
ture. This  part  of  the  library  will  appeal  to 
young  people  approaching  manhood  and 
womanhood, —  at  that  period  when  the  mind 

f'  is  open  to  receive  impressions  and  the  heart 

1  quick  to  respond  to  noble  thoughts.  Emerson's 
Essays,  Ruskin's  "Sesame  and  Lilies,'^"E;tEics 
of  the  Dust,"   "Crown  of  Wild  OUve,"  and 

';  "Athena,  the  Queen  of  the  Air";  Van  Dyke's 
"The  Blue  Flower";  Drummond's  Addresses 
and  "Natural  Law  in  the  Spiritual  Worid," 
Hamilton  Mabie's  "Books  and  Culture"  are 
representative  of  the  class.  A  few  books  of 
wholesome  counsel  will  be  read  with  interest  and 
profit  at  this  stage.  Such  are  Smiles's  "Self- 
Help,"  Mathews's  "  Getting  On  in  the  Worid," 

\  Bishop  Spalding's  "Education  and  the  Higher 
Life,"  Clark's  "Self-Culture,"  Lubbock's 
"  Pleasures  of  Life,"  Munger's  "  On  the  Thres- 
hold," Wilson's  "Making  the  Most  of  Our- 
selves," and  Mrs.  Starrett's  "Letters  to  a 
Daughter."  Books  of  practical  sociology,  like 
Miss  Addams's  "Democracy  and  Social  Ethics," 
Riis's  "Children  of  the  Poor"  and  "How  the! 
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THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

Other  Half  Lives',"  Dr.  Henderson's  "Moderaj 
Methods  of  Charity,"  and  Wood's  "The  City/ 
Wilderness"  may  be  included  in  this  section. V 
They  will  enlarge  the  sympathies  and  emphasizef 
the  brotherhood  of  man.  / 

Poetry,  too ,  should  be  made  much  of.  It  is 
the  medium  through  which  the  finest  minds  in 
all  ages  have  expressed  the  deepest  truths. 
Who  Uke  the  poet  can  touch  man's  heart  and 
arouse  the  best  that  is  in  him  ?  Tennyson  and 
Bro\ming  and  Longfellow  and^  Lowell  and 
Wljittier_and  Sidney  Lanier,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  older  and  greater  poets,  have  not  only  made 
life  larger  and  sweeter  but,  what  is  more,  have 
made  mankind  better.  The  Sunday  school 
can  do  no  greater  service  than  to  put  these  great 
moral  teachers  within  reach  of  the  young. 

We  now  come  to  that  literature  which  is  dis- 
tinctly the  province  of  the  Sunday  school,  the 
literature  of  the  Bible.  To  this  a  large  part  of 
tUe*  energy  of  Sunday-school  librarians  and 
library  committees  should  be  directed,  for 
while  the  public  library  or  the  school  library 
or  the  home  Ubrary  may  supply  other  good 
literature,  the  Sunday  school  must  supply  the 
hterature  for  its  own  work.  It  is  as  absurd  for 
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CHILDREN'S  READING 

the  Sunday  school  to  depend  upon  the  printed 
lesson  helps  alone  as  it  is  for  the  public  school 
to  depend  upon  its  text-books.  There  must 
be  a  study  or  reference  library. 

This  Biblical  literature  should  include,  first, 
a  good  Bible  dictionary^ —  Hastings's  is  un- 
doubtedly the  best,  though  Davis's  will  answer 
if  the  funds  will  not  at  once  permit  the  purchase 
of  the  larger  work.  Then  an  up-to-date  atlas, 
such  as  MacCoun's  "The  Holy  Land  in"^5eog- 
raphy  and  History,"  "A  ^araiony  of  thc^ 
Gospels,"  Burton  and  Stevens,  a  few  standard 
woflis  on  Biblical  history  and  literature  — 
not  too  technical, —  among  which  we  should 
fuRvae  prominently  Kent's  "History  of  the 
Hebrew  People,"  Kent  and  Riggs's  "  History  of 
the  Jewish  People,"  and  McFadyen's  "Intro- 
duction to  the  Literature  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment"; Rhees's  "Life  of  Jesus,"  Edersheim's 
"Life  of  Christ,"  Burton  and  Mathews's  "Con- 
structive Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ," 
Mathews's  "History  of  New  Testament  Times," 
Bartlett's  "Apostolic  Age,"  and  Moulton's 
"Literary  Study  of  the  Bible." 

There  should  be  a  few  good  books  for  teach- 
ers, treating  of  the  pedagogy  of  Sunday-school 
164 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

work.  Burton  and  Mathews's  "  Principles  and 
Ideals  for  the  Sunday  School,"  DuBois's  "The 
Point  of  Contact  in  Sunday  School  Teaching," 
Forbush's  "The  Boy  Problem,"  Coe's  " Educa- 
tion in  Religioff  an3[  Morals,^'  EUzabeth  Har- 
rison's "Study  of  Child  Nature,"  and  Sully's 
"Studies  in  Childhood"  indicate  the  line  of 
thought. 

The  literature  of  missions  should  not  be 
overiooked.  Many  Sunday  schools  are  not 
greatly  interested  in  missions  —  more  's  the 
pity.  Perhaps  it  is  because  the  superintendent 
is  not  greatly  interested  in  them.  A  missionary 
organization  in  the  Sunday  school  or  the  mis- 
sionary committee  of  the  Christian  Endeavor 
Society  can  do  much  to  awaken  an  interest,  but 
they  can  do  it  most  effectively  by  getting  bright 
and  readable  missionary  literature  into  the 
hands  of  the  young  people.  Many  Sunday 
schools  depend  for  their  missionary  inspiration 
upon  chance  talks  from  returned  missionaries 
who  happen  to  be  in  the  neighborhood.  No 
comment  is  necessary  on  the  average  missionary 
address  of  this  sort.  Most  of  us  have  at  one 
time  or  another  felt  its  depressing  influence  -^ 
some  of  us  very  many  times.  If  instead  of 
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CHILDREN'S  READING 

these  talks  our  young  people  could  get  their 
inspiration  from  the  brightest  minds  in  the 
missionary  field,  in  words  carefully  thought 
out  and  expressed  in  literary  form,  there  would 
be  inspiration  indeed.  That  notable  series  of 
books  which  includes  Hodgkins's  "  Via  Christi," 
a  general  introduction  to  the  study  of  missions, 
Mason's  "Lux  Christi"  (missions  in  India), 
Griffis's  "Dux  Christus"  (missions  in  China), 
and  Parsons's  "Christus  Liberator"  (missions 
in  Japan),  in  spite  of  their  formidable  Latin 
titles,  are  full  of  life  and  interest. 

Having  selected  our  ^unday-schopl  Ubrary, 
we  are  confronted  by  the  problem  of  howJo_ 
handle  it.  The  methods  conunonly  in  use  are 
twenty  years  behind  the  times.  An  inex- 
perienced youth  is  often  selected  as  librarian 
—  not  because  of  any  fitness  for  the  place  but 
simply  to  give  him  something  to  do  and  to 
keep  him  in  the  school.  It  is  good  for  the  boy, 
but  bad  for  the  library.  This  Ubrarian,  without 
any  special  knowledge  of  children's  Uterature, 
is  called  upon  to  assist  the  pupils  in  selecting 
their  books  —  often  to  select  the  books  for 
them.  In  some  cases  he  is  even  permitted  to 
choose  and  buy  new  books.  The  children  take 
166 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

what  he  gives  them  and  after  trying  vainly  to 
get  interested,  decide  that  the  library  is  "no 
good." 

The  methods  of  distribution  are  even  more 
primitive.  In  many  Sunday  schools  a  crowd 
of  children  may  be  seen  each  week  at  the  close 
of  the  session  standing  impatiently  before  a 
little  vtindow  in  the  wall,  each  waiting  for  a 
book,  and  in  most  cases  getting  at  last  some- 
thing that  he  did  not  want.  Titles  often 
tell  nothing.  Perhaps  he  asked  for  "A 
Rose  in  Bloom,"  thinking  it  was  some- 
thing about  flowers,  or  for  "The  Jewish 
Spectre"  under  the  impression  that  it  was  a 
ghost  story. 

It  is  of  vital  importance  that  the  Sunday- 
school  Ubrary  be  placed  in  competent  hands. 
Books,  however  good,  are  worth  nothing  unless 
read,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the  management  so 
to  handle  the  library  that  they  shall  be  read. 
Dignify  the  oflSce  of  librarian  by  securing  for  it 
the  best  equipped  man  or  woman  in  the  church 
—  one  who  is  familiar  with  children's  Utera- 
ture  and,  if  possible,  conversant  with  modem 
library  methods.  Such  men  and  women  are 
willing  to  take  classes  in  the  Sunday  school; 
167 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

they  should  be  willing  to  undertake  this  work, 
which  is  quite  as  important  and  for  which 
their  training  has  perhaps  particularly  fitted 
them. 

The  librarian  need  not  be  expected  to  do 
the  detail  work.  For.  this  purpose  several 
assistant  librarians  should  be  chosen  from 
among  the  young  men  or  women  of  the  church 
—  the  custom  has  been  to  employ  young  men, 
but  the  gentler  sex  are,  we  think,  usually  more 
successful  in  gaining  the  confidence  of  the 
children.  It  should  be  understood  that  the 
duty  of  a  librarian,  and  of  an  assistant  libra- 
rian as  well,  is  not  simply  to  give  out  and 
receive  books,  keep  records,  and  paste  labels. 
He  should  advise  the  children  as  to  what  books 
are  most  interesting  and  what  are  the  best  for 
certain  things,  and  the  children  should  be  en- 
couraged to  ask  advice.  It  is  an  excellent  plan 
to  set  aside  a  period  each  week, —  perhaps 
on  Sunday  afternoon  or  at  some  other  time 
than  the  school  hour, —  and  invite  the  children 
to  come  into  the  library,  to  handle  the  books, 
and  to  find  out  what  they  really  want  to  read. 
The  librarian  may  give  them  a  little  talk  similar 
to  that  of  "the  children's  hour^'^hich  has 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

done  so  much  in  the  public  library  to  encourage 
reading. 

Besides  the  librarians,  a  strong  and  active 
library  committee  is  a  necessity.  This  should 
consist  of  from  three  to  seven  members,  includ- 
ing the  hbrarian.  They  should  be  selected 
because  of  their  ability  and  their  knowledge  of 
children  as  well  as  of  hterature.  They  should 
decide  upon  all  books  considered  for  admission 
to  the  hbrary,  adding  constantly  to  their  list 
as  new  books  appear  or  as  older  books  of  merit, 
previously  overlooked,  are  rediscovered.  We 
know  a  Sunday  school  where  the  control  of  the 
library  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  "governing 
board"  of  fifteen  members,  selected  from 
among  the  trustees  and  leading  members  of 
the  church,  each  one  making  an  annual  sub- 
scription of  five  dollars  and  thus  solving  the 
problem  of  financial  support.  The  governing 
board  appoints  a  library  committee  from  the 
church  at  large,  while  the  hbrarian  is  elected  by 
the  teachers  of  the  Sunday  school.  The  hbra- 
rian selects  his  own  assistants. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  management  of 
the  hbrary  and  the  selection  of  its  books  is  its 
catalo^e.  This  should  be  printed  in  conven- 
169 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

lent  form,  classified  by  subject  and  grade,  and 
a  copy  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  pupil  in 
the  school.  The  arrangement  should  be  alpha- 
betical under  each  subject  heading,  but  opin- 
ions differ  as  to  whether  it  should  be  arranged 
by  title  or  by  author.  We  very  much  prefer  the 
latter  arrangement.  It  is  in  Une  with  modem 
library  usage,  and  emphasizes  to  the  child  the 
meaning  of  authorship.  It  teaches  him  that 
in  every  author's  work  there  are  certain  char- 
acteristics which,  if  they  please  him,  will  lead 
him  to  read  more, 
v/  The  ^lassificatiQn.  is  also  a  disputed  point. 
Perhaps  the  simplest  is  something  Uke  this: 

1.  Fiction. 

2.  Myths,  Fables,  and  Fairy  Tales. 

3.  History  and  Biography. 

4.  Geography,  Travel,  and  Adventure. 

5.  Stories    of   Animals   and   Birds,   Nature 
and  Science. 

6.  Essays  and   Miscellanies,   including   In- 
dustries, Art,  Government,  and  Social  Studies. 

7.  Poetry. 

8.  Biblical  Study  and  Teachers'  Books. 

9.  Missions. 

170 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARY 

Under  each  division  give  (1)  library  number, 
(2)  author,  (3)  title,  and  (4)  approximate  age 
of  pupils  to  whom  the  book  is  adapted,  thus: 

FICTION 

Ub.  Author  Title  Ages  to  which  adapted 

No.  Hearing      Reading 

1.  Abbott,  Jacob:  Malleville  8  11  to  16 
Story  of  a  group  of  children  on  a  vbit  among  the  White 
Mountains. 

2.  Alcott,  Louisa  M.:  Little  Women  8  11  to  18 
The  home  life  of  an  interesting  family  of  girls.     Fine. 

S.  Alcott,  Louisa  M.:  Little  Men  8        11  to  18 

Boy  life  at  a  delightful  home  boarding-school. 

A  brief  annotation  under  each  title,  or,  at 
least,  under  titles  that  are  not  self-descriptive, 
is  a  great  help  to  the  pupil  and  saves  many 
a  disappointment. 

With  an  efficient  librarian,  a  judicious 
Ubrary  committee,  a  reasonable  appropriation 
and  a  good  catalogue,  the  problem  of  the  Sun- 
day school  library  ceases  to  be  a  problem. 
Thus  equipped,  the  library  becomes  a  power 
for  good  —  a  worthy  adjunct  to  the  Sunday 
school.  Neither  the  pubUc  Ubrary  nor  the 
school  library  can  quite  do  its  work,  and  if 
they  could,  it  would  not  be  wise  to  allow  them 
to  do  it.  The  institutional  idea  is  becoming 
more  and  more  prominent  in  our  church  pohty. 
171 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

The  church  does  not  need,  perhaps,  to  interest 
itself  in  libraries  or  in  free  kindergartens,  or 
in  study  clubs,  or  in  lecture  courses,  for  all 
these  good  things  can  be  found  outside,  yet 
it  surely  is  the  Church's  privilege  to  help  to 
make  the  most  of  man,  and  the  time  has  passed 
when  reUgion  could  be  considered  as  a  thing 
apart  from  life. 


172 


CHAPTER    IX 
THE  ILLUSTRATING  OF  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

ON  a  shelf  in  my  library  is  an  old  volume, 
now  yellow  and  dog-eared,  which  was 
a  treasure  of  my  grandmother's  childhood.  It 
was  one  of  the  few  picture  books  vouchsafed 
the  children  of  a  century  ago.  I  regard  it 
with  more  than  a  book-lover's  aflFection,  and 
am  constrained  to  look  at  it  when  at  all  pessi- 
mistic about  the  juvenile  books  which  are 
being  put  forth  by  the  publishers  of  to-day,  for 
it  emphasizes,  as  nothing  else  can,  the  develop- 
ment in  the  art  of  making  books  for  children, 
and  teaches  us  to  be  thankful  for  what  the 
young  people  of  the  present  generation  have 
escaped.  This  volume  is  "A  New  Hiero- 
glyphical  Bible  for  the  Amusement  and  Instruc- 
tion of  Children;  Being  a  Selection  of  the 
most  useful  Lessons  and  most  interesting  Nar- 
ratives, Scripturally  Arranged,  from  Genesis 
to  the  Revelation,  Embellished  with  Familiar 
Figures  and  Striking  Emblems  Elegantly  En- 
graved. .  .  .  Recommended  by  the  Rev'd 
173 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Rowland  Hill,  M.  A.  New  York :  Printed  for  and 
Published  by  the  Booksellers.  MDCCXCVI." 
The  Preface  further  informs  us  that  the  author's 
object  is  "  to  imprint  on  the  Memory  of  Youth 
by  lively  and  sensible  images  the  sacred  and 
important  truths  of  Holy  Writ, "  and  that  *'  the 
utmost  attention  has  been  paid  to  select  such 
passages  for  illustration  and  embeUishment 
as  contained  truths  the  most  obvious  and  im- 
portant or  historical  facts  the  most  interest- 
ing." Turning  over  the  leaves  we  find  one 
of  the  first  "obvious  and  important  truths'* 
to  be  the  following,  labelled  "Exodus  xxxix, 
28,"  without  a  suggestion  of  context:  "And 
a  Mitre  of  fine  linen,  and  goodly  Bonnets  of 
fine  linen  and  linen  Breeches  of  fine  twined 
linen."  The  "striking  emblems  elegantly 
engraved"  consist  of  an  episcopal  mitre,  two 
sunbonnets,  and  a  pair  of  boy's  trousers — the 
pictures  taking  the  place  of  the  words  which 
they  are  supposed  to  represent,  and  thus  form- 
ing a  sort  of  illustrated  rebus,  to  attract  and 
interest  the  young. 

Contemporary  with  this  stimulating  volume, 
was  the  well-known   New   England   Primer, 
with  its  crude  representation  of  Adam's  Fall, 
174 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

and  its  mildly  exciting  picture  of  Mr.  John 
Rogers  being  consumed  at  Smithfield,  with  a 
cheerful  smile  upon  his  face,  and  "His  Wife 
with  nine  small  Children  &  one  at  her  Breast 
following  him  to  the  Stake." 

The  period  which  gave  to  the  children  of 
America  the  Hieroglyphical  Bible  and  the  New 
England  Primer  did  not  recognize  the  humorous 
or  the  fanciful  as  in  any  sense  legitimate  matter 
for  the  young,  though  the  children's  books 
of  that  epoch  appeal  to  us  of  to-day  with  a 
humor  which  is  quite  irresistible.  A  child's 
book  was  then  a  serious  matter,  and  mere 
amusement  was  an  end  for  which  it  never 
aimed.  The  child  was  considered  as  quite 
able  to  amuse  himself  without  assistance,  and 
the  proper  function  of  the  book  was  to  instruct, 
correct,  and  admonish.  As  the  New  Eng- 
land Primer  had  it :  "  Thy  Life  to  mend.  This 
book  attend. " 

But  it  is  now  to  the  illustrations  rather  than 
to  the  text  of  these  books  that  I  wish  to  call 
attention.  They  are  fairly  typical  of  the  wood 
engraving  of  that  period,  though  probably 
not  the  best  work  that  could  then  be  done. 
Bewick  in  England  had  made,  some  thirty  or 
175 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

forty  years  earlier,  his  really  admirable  "[Book 
of  British  Birds,"  and  "Book  of  British  Quad- 
rupeds," but  wood  engraving  had  not  come  to 
be  regarded  as  a  fine  art,  and  was  used  mainly 
to  advertise  merchandise,  to  call  attention  to 
the  sailing  of  ships,  and  occasionally  to  act  as 
a  vehicle  for  imparting  moral  or  religious  les- 
sons. Bewick's  books  were  so  far  superior 
to  anything  that  appeared  for  almost  a  hun- 
dred years  afterwards  that  they  do  not  seem 
to  belong  to  the  epoch  which  produced  them. 
Turning  from  the  juvenile  volumes  of  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  to  those 
of  to-day  is  like  passing  from  a  darkened  room 
out  into  the  sunshine.  Illustrating  is  now  a 
distinct  art,  and  illustrating  for  children  is  an 
important  branch  of  it.  Some  of  the  best 
artists  of  the  present  generation  have  devoted 
their  lives  to  the  service  of  the  child;  and  the 
function  of  illustrating  has  risen  from  merely 
embellishing  the  text  to  really  interpreting  it. 
We  sometimes  speak  of  the  illustrations  of  a 
book,  in  connection  with  its  typography  and 
binding,  as  its  "mechanical  features,"  but 
this  characterization  is  not  as  often  made  as 
formerly,  and  should  not  be  made  at  all.  The 
176 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

pictures  of  a  child's  book  are  an  organic  part 
of  it.  They  are  as  much  to  the  child  as  the 
text — often  more  than  the  text — and  determine 
in  many  cases  his  literary  Hkes  and  dislikes. 
The  interpretation  which  the  artist  gives  to 
Cinderella  may  decide  whether  she  is  to  be 
admired  or  only  pitied,  and  Robinson  Crusoe 
may  be  made  an  altogether  kind  and  friendly 
person  or  a  frightful  semi-savage. 

This  influence  is,  of  course,  especially  strong 
in  the  case  of  the  very  young.  A  picture  is 
the  simplest  and  most  elementary  expression 
of  an  idea.  It  precedes  written  language.  The 
savage  told  his  primitive  stories  by  means  of 
picture-writing  before  his  descendants  learned 
the  use  of  letters;  and  as  the  childhood  of  the 
individual  is  a  counterpart  of  the  childhood  of 
the  race,  the  child  to-day  expects  the  picture 
to  tell  his  story  also,  before  the  text  is  open  to 
him. 

If  we  grant  the  importance  of  pictures  in 
fixing  the  child's  impressions  and  forming  his 
tastes,  we  must  see  to  it  that  he  has  good  pic- 
tures—  pictures,  first  of  aU,  that  will  attract 
him,  for  if  they  do  not  attract  they  will  not  in- 
fluence him,  unless  it  be  n^atively.  Then, 
177 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

while  they  attract  they  must  also  cultivate  his 
ideals  of  beauty  and  his  appreciation  of  art; 
for  how  is  he  to  leam  what  good  art  is  unless  it 
is  often  before  him?  And,  finally,  while  it  is 
not  the  function  of  children's  pictures,  as  it  is 
not  the  function  of  art  in  the  large,  to  teach 
morahty,  they  should  teach  nothing  that  is  low, 
cruel,  or  debasing. 

Having  stated,  then,  as  the  first  requisite  of 
good  juvenile  pictures  that  they  must  attract  the 
child,  the  question  arises.  What  sort  of  pic- 
ture does  the  child  prefer?  This  is  not  easily 
answered.  I  have  experimented  with  children 
in  different  grades  of  the  public  schools,  and 
with  others  who  have  never  attended  school. 
The  experiment  has  shown  that  the  tastes  of 
children  vary  almost  as  much  as  those  of  adults, 
and  that  they  change  as  the  child  develops. 
There  are,  however,  several  well-defined  likes 
that  belong  to  every  normal  child. 

The  child  likes  color.  The  normal,  un- 
trained child  likes  bright  color.  A  red  hat 
attracts  the  infant,  while  a  black  hat  does  not. 
But  as  the  child  grows,  he  comes  to  see  beauty 
also  in  subdued-loaes,  and  his  training  helps 
him  to  do  this.  He  should  never  be  taught, 
178 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

however,  to  despise  pure,  bright  color.  The 
love  of  it  is  the  natural  heritage  of  the  child,  and 
he  should  never  outgrow  it.  All  that  we  need 
concern  ourselves  about  is  to  show  him  the 
beauty  of  harmonious  combinations,  and  he 
will  soon  come  to  disUke  those  that  are  inhar- 
monious. 

Again,  the  child  naturally  likes  a  broad, 
simple  treatment,  whether  in  color  or  in  black 
and  white.  This  fondness  for  simpUcity  is 
somewhat  modified,  as  he  grows  older,  by  an 
interest  in  detail,  but  it  may  safely  be  affirmed 
that  a  child  of  two  years  or  less  does  not  want 
detail  in  a  picture.  He  wants  only  a  distinct 
impression.  My  little  girl,  at  the  age  of  two, 
preferred  a  series  of  simple  outline  drawings  in 
a  First  Reader  to  all  her  other  pictures.  There 
was  a  cat  which  she  could  see  at  a  glance,  and  a 
cup  which  she  instantly  recognized  as  a  famiUar 
friend.  This  sta,ge  was  passed  in  due  season, 
and  she  began  to  show  interest  in  a  cat  with  a 
bell  around  her  neck,  and  a  cup  with  figures  on 
it ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  perceptive  faculties 
had  developed  that  the  love  of  detail  came  to 
her,  and  even  when  it  did  come,  it  did  not 
supplant  the  fondness  for  simple  treatment 
179 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

and  clear    images.     It  does    not  do  this  in 
any  normal  child. 

This  outline  drawing,  combined  with  broad, 
flat  color,  is  exemplified  in  the  popular  "  poster 
st^^  of  illustrating.  It  seems  to  be  a  sug- 
gestion from  the  Japanese,  who  have  surprised 
the  world  by  the  effectiveness  and  the  rare 
decorative  quality  of  their  art.  This  poster 
style  has  the  elements  which  appeal  to  children. 
It  may  be  regarded  as  the  child's  own  method 
of  expressing  his  ideas  of  form,  as  he  draws 
his  outline  with  a  pencil  and  fills  it  in  with  the 
colors  from  his  paint-box.  But  it  is  adapted 
only  to  the  simplest  subjects,  and  many  modem 
illustrators  make  the  mistake  of  trying  to  show 
by  means  of  it  all  the  details  of  a  complex 
story.  Figures  in  the  foreground,  background, 
and  middle  distance  are  hopelessly  entangled, 
perspective  is  ignored,  and  the  effect  is  dire  con- 
fusion. When  the  illustrations  are  reproduced 
in  line,  without  the  aid  of  color,  as  in  Howard 
Pyle's  Robin  Hood  illustrations,  the  result  is 
often  absolutely  chaotic. 

Another  mistake  which  is  being  made  by 
modem  illustrators  for  children  is  an  affectation 
of  the  antique  and  the  conventional.    The" 
180 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

child  is  confronted  with  archaic  line-drawings 
suggestive  of  Diirer  and  the  early  German 
wood-engravers.  All  the  life  and  dramatic 
interest  of  a  situation  are  conventionalized  out 
of  it,  and  the  dead  remains  are  set  forth  in  faded 
colors,  with  a  decorative  framework  of  historic 
ornament.  Walter  Crane  is  perhaps  the  best  )y^ 
known  exponent  of  this  style,  though  the  in- 
fluence of  it  may  be  seen  in  the  work  of  many 
others  of  our  most  popular  illustrators.  This 
conventional  insanity  appears  in  concentric  . 
spirals  of  hair  and  beard  and  in  ellipsoid  clouds 
lying  on  a  sky  of  parallel  lines.  Now  a  child 
does  not  want  to  see  his  Crusoe  or  his  Sindbad 
stiffened  into  a  Knave  of  Spades.  He  does  not 
care  for  the  decorative.  What  he  wants  is  life. 
A  boy  of  eight  made  a  fair  criticism  on  one 
of  these  crowded,  flat,  ultra-conventional 
illustrations  when  he  gave  as  his  reason  for  not 
liking  it,  that  it  was  "all  muggled  up."  The 
illustration  was  one  of  Charles  Robinson's,  but 
was  in  that  artist's  most  involved  manner.  No 
modem  illustrator  perhaps  possesses  more 
sympathy  than  he  with  children,  or  can  make 
more  deUghtful  figures  of  little  folks  when  he 
keeps  to  the  simple  treatment,  but  he  often 
181 


/ 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

attempts  more  than  the  method  which  he  has 
chosen  will  allow.  What  is  true  of  Robinson 
is  true  also  of  Crane,  Pyle,  Heywood,  Sumner, 
the  Rhead  brothers,  and  other  illustrators 
whose  skill  and  whose  artistic  sense  is  unques- 
tioned, but  who  have  become  so  wedded  to  this 
particular  method  as  to  refuse  to  recognize  its 
hmitations. 

One  of  the  best  exponents  of  the  legitimate 
use  of  line-drawing  is  the  French  illustrator, 
Boutet  de  Monvel,  who  appreciates  the  beauty 
of  simplicity  and  who  possesses,  moreover,  that 
rare  sympathy  with  child  nature  which  is  so 
essential  in  the  drawing  of  pictures  for  children. 
Jessie  Wilcox  Smith  shows  in  her  work  the 
same  characteristics  and  is  probably  the  most 
successful  delineator  of  child  life  and  child 
character  whom  we  have  in  this  country. 

Another  quality  which  is  almost  a  sine  qua 
non  in  pictures  for  children  is  action.  Children 
hke  to  see  things  go,  and  the  figures  which 
appeal  to  them  are  those  which  are  doing  some- 
thing. A  boy  in  the  second  grade  chose  a 
spirited  picture,  "A  is  for  archer,"  by^Stuart 
Hardy,  in  preference  to  a  decorative  treatment 
of  Grinun's  girl  at  the  well,  by  Crane.  When 
182 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

asked  why,  he  replied,  "Because  I  like  to 
shoot."  The  picture  must  tell  a  story  in  order 
to  interest  the  average  child,  and  the  story  must 
be  such  as  he  can  appreciate.  This  leads  me  to 
say  that  Hard^  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory 
of  modern  illustrators  for  children.  He  is 
known  mainly  through  his  black  and  white 
pictures  in  the  Nister  books, —  Mother  Goose, 
Andersen's  and  Grinun's  stories,  and  a  few 
other  volumes  of  the  same  class.  His  figures 
are  drawn  with  a  few  strong  strokes  of  the  pen, 
and  depict  beautiful  and  lovable  children. 
Abbey,  Reinhardt,  and  others  of  that  class  of 
standard  illustrators  whose  work  is  not  particu- 
larly for  juvenile  books,  need  not  be  men- 
tioned here.  What  they  have  done  for  the 
young  people  has  been  done  with  the  same 
fidelity  to  truth  and  artistic  feeUng  which 
mark  their  other  work.  Fannie  Y.  Cory  has 
done  some  excellent  juvenile  illustrating,  and 
is  yearly  gaining  in  strength  and  vigor.  I^ufij: 
Fitch  Perkins  shows  in  her  later  work  the  true 
artist's  touch,  and  her  graceful,  airy  figures  are 
a  distinct  contribution  to  the  work  of  the  field 
which  has  she  chosen. 

Beauty  is  a  quaUty  which  children  are  not 
183 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

slow  to  discover  and  appreciate  in  a  picture. 
They  like  pictures  of  beautiful  children.  Maud- 
Humgtusy's  little  doll-faced  cherubs  are  per- 
haps a  shade  too  pretty.  Certain  boys,  upon 
arriving  at  the  superior  age  of  twelve  to  fourteen 
years,  affect  to  scoff  at  them,  but  it  is  doubtful, 
after  all,  whether  their  contempt  is  not  directed 
mainly  toward  the  elaborate  frills  and  ruffles 
which  encircle  them, —  at  their  artificiality,  in  a 
word,  rather  than  at  their  prettiness.  Kate, 
,Greenaway's  quaint  little  figures  are  particularly 
attractive,  and  though  the  fitful  aesthetic  impulse 
which  gave  them  birth  has  passed  away,  there 
is  something  too  sweet  and  artistic  in  them  to 
let  them  grow  old.  Reginald  Birch's  children 
are  always  popular.  True,  they  are  idealized 
children;  if  they  were  not,  they  would  lose 
much  of  their  charm,  for  children  themselves 
are  idealists.  Their  admiration  goes  out  toward 
the  things  that  are  different  from  the  every-day, 
and  an  ideal  face  appeals  to  them  when  an  ordi- 
nary face  does  not.  The  tendency  of  modem 
art  is  to  despise  beauty  and  to  strive  for  in- 
dividuality. It  is  unfortunate  that  more  have 
not  attempted  to  combine  the  two. 
As   to   the  grotesque,   it   does   not   appeal 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

equally  to  all  children.  Young  children  usually 
dislike  it,  though  they  are  sometimes  fascinated 
by  it,  as  animals  are  charmed  by  a  serpent. 
There  is  in  most  children  a  stage  which  begins  at 
the  age  of  about  six  or  seven  and  lasts  for  several 
years,  during  which  this  desire  for  the  extrava- 
gant, the  uncouth,  and  the  ternble^sometimes 
becomes  a  passion.  To  fail  to  recognize  the 
craving  is  usually  to  drive  your  children  to  satisfy 
it  surreptitiously  with  the  worst  possible  mate- 
rial. There  is  the  grotes^ueljjearful  and  the 
grotesquely  comic,  and  both  have  their  fascina- 
tion at  this  period.  Your  child  will  probably  try 
your  soul  by  discarding  the  artistic  picture  books 
which  you  have  bought  him,  and  by  showing  a 
decided  preference  for  the  adventures  of 
" Buster  Brown "  and  "the  Katzenjammer 
Kids"  as  depicted  in  vivid  red,  blue,  and 
yellow  on  the  pages  of  the  Sunday  newspaper. 
Discourage  these  pictures  by  aU  means,  but 
give  him  something  good  to  take  their  place 
—  something  that  is  comical  without  being 
vulgar.  Kemble  and  Peter  Newell  have  given 
the  children  some  exquisitely  funny  things  — 
mostly  in  black  and  white.  Denslow  has  done 
some  good  work  in  color,  thougli  lie  often  comes 
185 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

perilously  near  the  line  of  vulgarity.  An  expur- 
gated edition  of  his  "Father  GoosCj^'  which 
should  omit  about  one  picture  in  ten,  would 
make  an  excellent  nonsense  book.  Of  modem 
illustrators  who  handle  grotesque  subjects, 
Frederick  Richardson  perhaps  shows  as  much 
deUcacy  and  artistic  appreciation  as  any. 

As  to  the  grotesquely  terrible,  the  child 
must  have  a  little  of  it  if  he  insists,  but  don't 
let  him  have  it  at  night  if  you  value  either 
his  comfort  or  your  own.  He  must  be 
treated  tenderly  at  this  period,  and  the  imagi- 
native nature,  which  is  then  most  intense, 
must  be  so  trained  as  to  lead  him  to  enjoy  the 
fanciful  in  beauty  rather  than  in  ugUness. 
Fairies  are  better  than  hobgoblins,  and  he 
should  be  allowed  all  the  fairies  he  wants,  until 
he  outgrows  them  and  asks  for  something 
more  substantial. 

Children  like  animal  pictures  in  almost  any 
form  —  dictionary  and  geography  animals  in- 
cluded. The  most  delicately  fanciful  treat- 
ment that  has  perhaps  ever  been  given  to  the 
animal  creation  is  that  of  F.  S.  Church. 
Church's  animals  combine  the  imaginative, 
the  poetic,  the  grotesque, —  all  with  the  most 
186 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

delicate  sense  of  humor,  and  with  a  sympa- 
thetic touch  that  makes  the  child  at  one  with 
them. 

So  much  for  what  the  child  likes.  But  his 
pictures  should  not  only  give  him  what  he 
likes:  they  should  give  it  to  him  in  the  best 
possible  way.  The  touch  of  the  true  artist 
should  be  manifest  in  them.  The  child  will 
find  color  in  the  vivid  pictures  of  the  Sunday 
newspaper  already  referred  to,  and  at  first  he 
will  appreciate  it  in  that  form  quite  as  much 
as  in  the  most  artistic  color  plates  which 
can  be  obtained.  He  will  find  a  broad  and 
attractive  treatment  in  the  advertisements  in 
the  street  cars,  and  will  be  quite  pleased  with 
them.  He  will  find  action  in  the  scrawls 
which  he  makes  upon  his  slate,  and  will  satisfy 
his  craving  for  the  grotesque  vdth  the  crudest 
of  caricatures.  But  here  is  where  he  needs 
careful  and  discriminating  guidance.  Let 
his  books  be  illustrated  by  a  master  hand, 
and  accustom  him  to  the  best  art.  It  will  not 
be  long  before  he  will  recognize  and  appre- 
ciate it.  By  the  best  art,  I  do  not  mean  neces- 
sarily that  of  Botticelli  or  of  Raphael,  though 
he  should  know  some  of  the  world's  great  art 
187 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

works  as  soon  as  he  is  old  enough  to  under- 
stand them.  I  mean  simply  true  arty  whether 
the  drawing  be  that  of  a  cathedral  or  of  a  tin 
cup.  There  are  too  many  illustrators  who 
try  to  atone  for  poor  draughtsmanship  by 
a  wealth  of  carefully  wrought  details  —  tex- 
tures, shadows,  and  all  that.  Scores  of  ama- 
teurs have  found  a  market  for  their  work  in 
the  multipUcity  of  modem  books,  but  their 
touch  is  readily  discernible.  Their  figures 
are  wooden,  and  their  faces  are  expressionless. 
They  are  not  artists;  they  are  apprentices. 

The  child  naturally  assumes  that  the  pic- 
tures which  adorn  his  books  are  right  pictures, 
and  from  them  he  gets  his  ideas  of  drawing  — 
his  first  impression  of  what  art  is.  There  is 
no  harm  in  giving  him  such  entirely  natural 
and  enjoyable  scrawls  as  those  which  illus- 
trate Lear's  Nonsense  Books.  He  is  not 
deceived  by  them.  He  takes  them  as  a  joke, 
and  the  joke  is  healthful  and  stimulating. 
These  pictures  of  Lear's,  with  all  their  crudity, 
are  far  more  expressive  than  many  finished 
pictures  which  the  child  finds  in  his  books, 
and  which  he  supposes  to  be  in  some  sort  a 
standard  of  artistic  excellence  because  they 
188 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

pretend  to  be  something.  Do  not  buy  him 
books  which  are  falsely  or  poorly  illustrated. 
Better  give  him  no  pictures  at  all  than  wrong 
ones.  Should  he  not  be  taught  good  art  as 
well  as  good  literature  ?  Many  a  parent  con- 
fesses with  regret  that  he  does  not  know  the 
difference  between  a  good  and  a  poor  picture. 
If  he  does  not,  he  should  see  to  it  that  his  chil- 
dren know  more  about  such  matters  than  he 
knows  himself;  and  if  he  cannot  trust  him- 
self to  select  their  picture  books,  he  should  ask 
the  assistance  of  some  friend  in  whose  discrim- 
ination he  has  confidence.  The  well  illus- 
trated book  costs  a  htttle  more,  sometimes, 
than  the  poorly  illustrated  book,  and  if  it 
costs  more  it  is  worth  more.  Often  it  does  not 
cost  more,  but  only  requires  a  little  care  and 
judgment  in  its  selection. 

We  come  now  to  the  moral  effect  of  pictures. 
While  they  are  not  to  be  considered  primarily 
as  a  vehicle  for  teaching  morality,  they  should 
never  by  inference  or  example  teach  immoral- 
ity —  and  by  immorality  we  mean  anything  that 
is  mean  or  degrading.  I  have  before  me  a 
child's  book  in  which  several  boys  are  pictured 
as  having  tied  a  tin  can  to  a  dog's  tail,  and  to  be 
189 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

immensely  amused  at  the  struggles  of  the  poor 
beast  to  rid  himself  of  it.  The  accompanying 
story  ends  with  the  moral  that  this  was  a  very 
wrong  thing  for  the  boys  to  do,  but  the  artist 
has  not  expressed  this  saving  conclusion.  Both 
story  and  picture  are  bad,  for  while  one  boy  will 
pity  the  dog,  another  will  think  it  a  good  joke 
and  will  perhaps  decide  to  try  the  experiment 
on  the  next  unfortunate  canine  that  crosses 
his  path. 

A  small  boy  of  my  acquaintance  became 
highly  interested  not  long  ago  in  the  adven- 
tures of  a  naughty  youth  presented  in  the  comic 
supplement  of  a  well-known  newspaper.  The 
youth  in  the  newspaper  shampooed  his  sister's 
hair  and  anointed  the  poodle  with  a  mixture 
of  ink,  glue,  and  the  family  hair  tonic,  leaving 
the  remainder  of  the  compound  in  the  bottle 
for  the  use  of  his  father  and  mother.  The 
results  as  pictorially  set  forth  were  so  intensely 
amusing  that  the  small  observer  immediately 
took  steps  to  repeat  them  in  real  life.  Much 
mischief  is  suggested  in  such  ways  as  this,  and 
the  suggestions  come  from'  artists  who  have 
little  sympathy  with  children  —  knowing  them 
mainly  as  a  theme  to  make  jokes  about. 
190 


ILLUSTRATING  CHILDREN'S  BOOKS 

Analyze  the  humor  in  the  funny  pictures  of 
our  newspapers,  and  you  will  find  that  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  it  rests  upon  somebody's  mis- 
fortune,-/an  apple- woman  upset  by  an  auto- 
mobile, a  sleeping  tramp  annoyed  by  small 
boys,  an  absent-minded  old  gentleman  walk- 
ing into  a  tank  of  waterA  Such  are  the  sub- 
jects that  are  given  to  our  children  to  make 
them  laugh, —  while  we  are  trying  to  teach  them 
to  be  thoughtful  of  the  comfort  of  others, 
genuinely  polite,  and  considerate  of  every  one. 

All  this  emphasizes  the  point  that  the  true 
artist  for  children  must  have  sympathy  for  his 
audience  as  well  as  experience  with  them,  must 
know  what  is  good  for  them,  and  must  love 
them  too  much  to  offer  anything  that  is  not  of 
his  best.  The  artist  shows  his  character  in  his 
work.  Let  it  be  a  good  character,  and  the  chil- 
dren will  unconsciously  imbibe  from  his  pictures 
heroism,  gentleness,  and  nobility.  Let  it  be 
a  mean  character,  and  its  influence  will  be 
mean.  Fortunately  there  are  plenty  of  good 
men  and  women  who  are  illustrating  children's 
books,  and  who  are  putting  into  their  work 
not  only  skill  and  genius,  but  also  good  judg- 
ment, sympathy,  and  love. 
191 


CHILDREN'S    READING 

Let  the  parents  and  teachers  —  those  who 
buy  books  for  the  children  of  the  present  gener- 
ation—  but  discriminate  in  their  choice,  real- 
izing that  the  picture  is  as  important  as  the 
printed  page  in  forming  taste  and  influenc- 
ing character,  and  they  will  soon  see  in  their 
children  the  results  of  this  powerful  educative 
influence.  They  will  see,  too,  an  improve- 
ment in  the  illustrations  of  the  books  which 
are  being  offered  to  the  young.  Publishers 
will  not  issue  poorly  illustrated  books  if  it  is 
found  that  well-illustrated  books  are  in  demand. 
It  is  thus  in  the  power  of  book-buyers  to  rais  i 
the  character  of  all  books  by  demanding  what 
is  best,  not  what  is  most  expensive,  but  what 
is  elevating  both  to  the  taste  and  to  the  morals. 


192 


CHAPTER  X 
MOTHER   GOOSE 

IN  these  twentieth-century  days,  Mother 
Goose  needs  no  advocate  to  establish  her 
claim  to  a  place  in  literature.  The  time  is  past 
when  she  could  be  pooh-poohed  into  oblivion, 
or  her  glory  dimmed  by  slighting  reference  to 
her  audience.  The  children  have  spoken  for 
her,  and  as  it  is  the  children  to  whom  she 
addresses  herself,  they  should  be  her  jury. 
Adult  judgment  of  juvenile  literature  is  often 
faulty.  It  is  hard  for  the  grown-up  to  divest 
himself  of  the  wisdom  that  the  years  have 
brought  him,  to  become,  for  the  time,  simple 
and  artless,  to  look  out  once  more  through 
the  clear  eyes  of  childhood,  and  judge  a  child's 
rhyme  or  story  frankly  by  what  it  means  to  the 
child.  But  we  are  now  coming  to  recognize 
that  childhood  has  a  literature  of  its  own,  and 
that  though  we  may  be  too  wise  to  fully  ap- 
preciate it,  it  is  quite  as  important  in  the  mental 
development  as  is  the  Uterature  of  maturer 
years. 

183 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Mother  Goose  is  the  starting  point  from 
which  mankind  begins  its  knowledge  of  books. 
The  noveUst  whose  latest  volume  is  in  its  hun- 
dreds of  thousands,  and  whose  name  is  in  the 
mouths  of  the  multitude,  probably  gained  his 
first  notion  of  fiction  on  his  mother's  knee, 
from  the  somewhat  highly  colored  story  of  the 
old  woman  who  swept  the  cobwebs  out  of  the 
sky;  the  poet's  first  pastoral  was  "Little  Bo 
Peep,"  his  first  tragedy,  "Ding,  Dong,  Bell." 
These  nursery  rhymes  have  trained  the  ear  and 
stirred  the  imagination  of  generations  of  chil- 
dren, and  are  worthy  of  adult  consideration  not 
only  because  of  their  venerable  antiquity,  but 
also  because  of  their  peculiar  fascination  for 
the  child  mind. 

As  for  Mother  Goose,  the  author,  we  must 
consign  her  to  the  realm  of  myths,  for  she 
appears  to  be  even  less  substantial  than  Homer 
and  of  that  mystic  company  of  Cynewulf  and 
Saemund  the  Wise,  who  personify  the  story- 
telling spirit  that  produced  our  earliest  folk- 
lore. Some  forty  years  ago  an  ingenious  gentle- 
man of  Boston  claimed  to  have  identified  her 
as  Mistress  Elizabeth  Goose,  or  Vergoose,  who 
flourished  in  that  city  between  the  years  1712 
194 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

and  1720;  and  this  effort  to  give  her  a  local  hab- 
itation was  at  once  accepted  with  joy  by  a 
large  part  of  that  reading  public  which  expects 
of  its  authors  concrete  and  absolute  existence. 
The  Vergoose  story  stated  that  our  nursery 
laureate  was  the  mother-in-law  of  one  Thomas 
Fleet,  a  printer;  that  she  lived  with  his  family 
over  his  shop  in  Pudding  Lane  (now  Devon- 
shire Street);  that  she  habitually  repeated 
nursery  rhymes  and  songs  for  the  delectation 
of  Fleet's  children,  and  that  said  verses  became 
so  popular  in  Pudding  Lane,  that  Fleet,  think- 
ing to  turn  an  honest  penny,  published  them 
in  1719,  under  the  now  famous  title,  "  Mother 
Goose's  Melodies."  The  story  was  uncon- 
tradicted for  years,  but  at  last  the  higher 
critics  got  hold  of  it  and  exploded  it.  It  all 
seems  now  to  have  originated  in  a  clever  news- 
paper article  written  by  a  certain  John  Fleet 
Eliot,  great-grandson  of  T.  Fleet,  the  printer, 
who  desired  to  embellish  his  family  tree  and 
make  readable  history.  No  one  ever  saw  this 
edition  of  the  "  Melodies "  printed  by  Fleet  in 
1719,  and  all  the  evidence  we  have  is  Mr. 
Eliot's  word  that  another  gentleman  named 
Crowninshield  —  then  deceased  —  had  men- 
195 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

tioned  having  once  encountered  a  copy  in  the 
library  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society 
at  Worcester,  Mass ,  which,  however,  subse- 
quent search  failed  to  discover. 

Mother  Goose's  grave  was  also  pointed  out 
in  the  old  Granary  Burying  Ground,  and  is 
still  visited  by  an  occasional  deluded  pilgrim 
But  the  grave  is  marked  with  the  name  of 
"Mary  Goose,  wife  to  Isaac  Goose,"  who 
"dec'd  October  ye  19th,  1690,"  thus  dividing 
the  honors  of  Goosehood;  for  Mary,  wife  to 
Isaac,  is  clearly  not  Elizabeth,  mother-in-law 
to  Fleet,  whose  fictitious  singing  of  nursery 
jingles  in  Pudding  Lane  dates  twenty-five 
years  after  Mary's  interment.  An  English 
writer  in  "The  Spectator"  several  years  ago, 
discussing  this  Pudding  Lane  story,  facetiously 
suggested  that  the  name  Goose  might  be  a 
corruption  of  Gosse,  and  that  his  distinguished 
compatriot,  Mr.  Edmund  —  of  that  name  — 
was  probably  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  ancient 
lady  for  whose  ditties  he  has  shown  so  deep  a 
r^ard. 

If  we  are  to  seek  the  genesis  of  Mother 
Goose,  we  must  go  farther  than  Boston  and 
earUer  than  1719.    Mr.  Andrew  Lang  has  dis- 
196 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

covered  in  Loret's  "La  Muse  Historique,"  pub- 
lished in  France  in  1650,  the  following  verses : 

Mais  le  cher  motif  de  leur  joye, 
Comme  un  conte  de  la  Mtre  Oye, 
Se  trouvant  fabuleux  et  faux 
lis  d^viendront  tous  bien  p^nauts. 

The  second  line  is  the  significant  one;  "Like 
a  Mother  Goose  story," —  which,  in  the  next 
line,  is  shown  to  be  "jahvleux  et  faux."  Clearly, 
then.  Mother  Goose  was  known  to  the  French 
more  than  two  hundred  fifty  years  ago  as  the 
typical  teller  of  extraordinary  and  fanciful  tales. 

Some  think  they  can  find  the  origin  of  the 
name  in  "  Queen  Goosefoot"  —  (Reine  Pi- 
dauqv£)y  a  nickname  given  to  the  mother  of 
Charlemagne  because  she  was  said  to  be  web- 
footed.  But  this  requires  of  the  imagination 
almost  too  great  a  strain. 

The  earliest  date  at  which  Mother  Goose 
appears  as  the  author  of  children's  stories  is 
1697,  when  Charles  Perrault,  a  distinguished 
French  littirateur,  published  in  Paris  a  little 
book  of  tales  which  he  had  during  that  and  the 
preceding  year  contributed  to  a  magazine  known 
as  "  Moetjen's  Recueil,"  printed  at  The  Hague. 
This  book  is  entitled  "  Histoires  ou  Contes  du 
197 


CHILDREN'S   READING 

Temps  Pass^,  avec  des  Moralites,"  and  has  a 
frontispiece  in  which  an  old  woman  is  pictured, 
telling  stories  to  a  family  group  by  the  fireside, 
while  in  the  background  are  the  words  in  large 
characters  "Conies  de  maMbre  VOye" — ^Tales 
of  my  Mother  Goose. 

These  tales  were  eight  in  number,  consisting 
of  the  children's  classics:  Little  Red  Riding 
Hood,  The  Sisters  who  Dropped  from  their 
Mouths  Diamonds  and  Toads,  Bluebeard,  The 
Sleeping  Beauty,  Puss  in  Boots,  Cinderella, 
Riquet  with  the  Tuft,  and  Tom  Thumb — or 
Little  Thumb  {Petit  Poucet),  as  he  is  here 
called.  Riquet  with  the  Tuft  is  the  only  one  of 
the  collection  which  seems  not  to  have  main- 
tained its  popularity  in  Enghsh  and  American 
collections. 

Perrault  himself  was  a  man  of  some  impor- 
tance in  his  day — an  advocate,  a  pubUc  officer 
under  Colbert,  and  a  member  of  the  French 
Academy.  Yet,  though  he  wrote  an  ambitious 
series  of  biographies  and  a  Ufe  of  himself, 
in  which  he  recounts  his  public  services,  his 
claim  to  a  place  in  Uterature  to-day  rests  upon 
this  Uttle  volume  of  "Mother  Goose  Stories," 
which  he  gathered  from  various  sources  and 
198 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

retold,  using  the  name  of  his  son  because  he 
thought  them  too  insignificant  to  own,  himself. 
The  earUest  mention  of  an  English  version  of 
these  tales  seems  to  be  an  advertisement  in  a 
London  paper  of  1729,  referring  to  "Tales  of 
Passed  Times,"  translated  by  a  Mr.  Samber, 
and  pubUshed  by  J.  Pote. 

It  is  thus  clear  that  Mother  Goose  was  of 
French  extraction,  and  of  at  least  respectable 
antiquity.  But  thus  far  nothing  has  been 
heard  of  her  Melodies.  She  began  her 
existence  as  the  raconteuse  of  fairy  tales,  not  as 
the  nursery  poetess. 

The  idea  of  collecting  well-known  rhymes 
for  children  and  of  attributing  them  to  this' 
fabulous  story-teller  seems  to  have  originated 
with  John  Newbery,  the  London  publisher, 
who  has  been  justly  styled  the  father  of  chil- 
dren's Uterature  in  England,  and  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  OUver  Goldsmith  edited  the 
first  collection.  This  book,  which  was  entitled 
"  Mother  Goose's  Melody,"  appeared  not  much 
later  than  1760.  We  know  that  Goldsmith  did 
hack-work  for  Newbery  during  five  or  six 
years  at  about  this  period,  that  he  wrote  the 
child's  story  of  "Goody  Two  Shoes,"  which 
199 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Newbery  published  in  1765,  and  that  he  was 
interested  in  children's  literature.  Certain  ear- 
marks, too,  are  to  be  found  in  the  preface  to  the 
"Melody"  which  suggest  his  authorship. 

The  full  title  of  the  book  is  "  Mother  Goose's 
Melody:  or,  Sonnets  for  the  Cradle.  In  two 
Parts.  Part  I  contains  the  most  celebrated 
Songs  and  Lullabies  of  the  old  British  Nurses, 
calculated  to  amuse  Children  and  to  excite  them 
to  Sleep.  Part  II,  Those  of  that  sweet  Songster 
and  Muse  of  Wit  and  Humour,  Master  William 
Shakespeare.  Embellished  with  Cuts,  and 
illustrated  with  Notes  and  Maxims,  Historical, 
Philosophical  and  Critical." 

The  collocation  of  nursery  rhymes  and 
Shakespeare  seems  at  first  thought  illogical 
and  displeasing,  but  when  it  is  noted  that  the 
Shakespearian  selections  include  simply  such 
songs  as  "  Where  the  Bee  sucks,"  "  You  Spotted 
Snakes,"  and  "When  Daffodils  begin  to  'pear," 
it  shows  that  the  collection  was  made  by  one 
who  loved  good  literature  and  who  felt  that  a 
child's  book  of  poetry  would  be  enriched  by 
having  in  it  these  little  gems  of  verse,  which 
we  of  to-day  are  beginning  anew  to  repeat  to 
our  children. 

200 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

The  selections  embrace  many  of  the  familiar 
old  nursery  rhymes,  together  with  some  which 
have  been  omitted  from  modem  collections  on 
account  of  their  coarseness,  and  others  which 
seem  to  have  been  simply  overlooked.  Each 
selection  is  accompanied  by  a  foot-note  or 
comment  satirizing  the  heavy  Johnsonian 
scholarship  of  that  day,  and  the  constant  efforts 
of  editors  to  point  a  moral. 

Most  of  us  remember  the  melancholy  rhyme 

here  called   "A   Dirge,"   which   relates  how 

"Little  Betty  Winckle  she  had  a  pig," — the 

same  being  **  a  little  pig,  —  not  very  big,"  who 

"  when  he  was  aUve  lived  in  clover.    But  now 

he  *s  dead  and  that 's  all  over."     In  the  New- 

bery  collection  this  rhyme  is  accompanied  by 

the  following  scholarly  note : 

"A  Dirge  is  a  song  made  for  the  Dead;  but  whether  this 
was  made  for  Betty  Winckle  or  her  Pig  is  uncertain;  no 
Notice  being  taken  of  it  by  Cambden,  or  any  of  the  famous 
Antiquarians. —  WalTs  System  of  Serue.^' 

The  rhyme  regarding  the  old  woman  who 

lived  under  a  hill,  is  followed  by  this  note : 

"This  is  a  self  evident  Proposition  which  is  the  very 
Essence  of  Truth.  She  lived  under  the  Hill,  and  if  she  is 
not  gone,  she  lives  there  still.  Nobody  will  [ncsume  to  con- 
tradict this. — Cranisa." 

aoi 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Following  the  familiar  "  Little  Tom  Tucker," 
who,  it  will  be  remembered,  sang  for  his  supper, 
and  finally  was  overwhelmed  by  the  problem 
of  getting  married  "without  e'er  a  wife,"  the 
scholarly  editor  remarks : 

"To  be  married  without  a  wife  is  a  terrible  Thing;  and 
to  be  married  with  a  bad  Wife  is  something  worse;  however 
a  good  Wife  that  sings  well  is  the  best  musical  Instrument  in 
the  World.—  Puffendorff. " 

Enough  of  this  old  book  has  been  quoted  to 
show  its  quaintness.  If  Goldsmith  did  not 
have  a  hand  in  it,  Newbery  at  least  pubhshed 
it,  and  it  was  exceedingly  popular  in  its  day. 
Probably  no  original  copy  of  the  Newbery 
Mother  Goose  is  now  in  existence,  but  the  book 
was  reprinted  by  Isaiah  Thomas  of  Worcester, 
Mass.,  about  1785,  and  several  copies  of  the 
Worcester  edition  are  preserved,  one  of  which 
has  been  photographed  and  reproduced  in  fac- 
simile by  Mr.  W.  H.  Whitmore  of  Boston.  The 
illustrations  are  as  quaint  as  the  text,  and  are  of 
the  same  grade  of  excellence  as  those  of  the 
New  England  Primer,  which  appeared  at 
about  the  same  time,  and  which  may  have  been 
engraved  by  the  same  hand. 

Another  collection  of  nursery  rhymes  which 
202 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

was  published  during  this  period,  perhaps  the 
first  American  issue  of  its  kind,  was  "The 
Famous  Tommy  Thumb's  Little  Story-Book; 
containing  his  Life  and  Surprising  Adventures, 
To  which  are  added  Tommy  Thumb's  Fables, 
with  Morals,  and  at  the  end,  pretty  stories, 
that  may  be  sung  or  told.  Adorned  with  many 
curious  Pictures.  Printed  and  sold  at  the 
Printing  Office  in  Mariborough  Street  1771.'* 
A  copy  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  the  Boston  Pub- 
lic Library.  It  contains  the  story  of  Tom 
Thumb,  seven  fables,  and  nine  nursery  rhymes, 
all  but  two  of  the  rhymes  —  namely.  Little 
Boy  Blue  and  Who  did  kill  Cock  Robin  ?  — 
having  appeared  in  the  Newbery  Mother  Goose. 
This  Boston  Tommy  Thumb  book  was  prob- 
ably a  reprint  of  another  EngHsh  collection. 

The  work  of  Newbery  and  his  successors 
forms  an  important  and  interesting  chapter  in 
the  history  of  children's  literature.  The  story 
of  it  has  been  well  told  by  Charles  Welsh  in  a 
little  book  entitled  *'  A  Bookseller  of  the  Last 
Century,"  published  in  London  some  twenty 
years  ago. 

But  we  must  leave  Newbery  and  follow  the 
development  of  Mother  Goose.  Her  popularity 
203 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

was  not  without  its  drawbacks.  Other  pub- 
lishers, seeing  that  she  was  bringing  many  a 
shilling  into  Newbery's  till,  east  covetous  eyes 
upon  her,  and  soon  John  Marshall  of  Alder- 
mary  Churchyard,  Bow  Lane,  London,  being 
seized  with  a  spirit  of  high-handed  piracy, 
appropriated  the  "Melody"  almost  verbatim, 
making  only  a  few  changes  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  selections.  A  copy  of  the  Marshall 
edition  is  still  extant  in  the  Bodleian  Library 
at  Oxford.  It  was  probably  this  that  led 
Thomas  Caman,  Newbery's  stepson  and 
successor,  to  copyright  in  1780  the  original 
"Mother  Goose's  Melody,"  which  had  been 
published  several  years  without  copyright. 

In  1797  a  quaint  satirical  booklet  was  printed 
in  London,  entitled  "Infant  Institutes."  This 
seems  to  have  been  an  essay  on  nursery  liter- 
ature, written  in  a  mock-scholarly  style,  with 
comments  on  a  number  of  jingles  then  evidently 
current,  intended  probably  as  a  burlesque 
upon  the  work  of  the  Shakespearian  commen- 
tators of  that  day.  The  pamphlet  was  written 
by  the  Rev.  Baptist  Noel  Turner,  Rector  of 
Denton,  though  its  authorship  was  unknown 
until  after  the  writer's  death.     "Infant  Insti- 

aoi. 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

tutes  "  contained  a  number  of  nursery  rhjrmes, 
some  of  which  had  not  been  printed  in  "  Mother 
Goose," — but  we  hear  of  no  other  general 
collection  until  1810.  In  that  year  appeared 
"Gammer  Gurton's  Garland,  or  the  Nursery 
Parnassus,  a  choice  collection  of  pretty  songs 
and  verses  for  the  amusement  of  all  httle  good 
children  who  can  neither  read  nor  run.  Lon- 
don: printed  for  R.  Triphook,  37  St.  James 
Street  by  Harding  and  Wright,  St.  John's 
Square."  It  was  edited  by  Joseph  Ritson,  an 
eminent  scholar,  critic,  and  antiquary,  who 
gave  much  attention  to  the  origin  and  develop- 
ment of  English  ballad  poetry. 

Gammer  Gurton  was  evidently  put  forward 
as  a  rival  of  Mother  Goose.  The  name  was  a 
familiar  one,  found  originally  in  the  old  comedy, 
"Gammer  Gurton's  Needle,"  but  used  as  a 
type  of  the  ancient  grandmother.  This  alliter- 
ative Garland  contained  nearly  all  of  "  Mother 
Goose's  Melody,"  and  about  as  much  more  ma- 
terial of  the  same  sort,  collected  by  Ritson  from 
all  available  sources.  Gammer  Gurton's  reign 
was,  however,  short,  and  it  is  to  a  Boston  pub- 
lisher that  we  look  for  the  final  estabUshment 
of  Mother  Goose  as  the  autocrat  of  the  nursery. 
206 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

At  some  time  between  1824  and  1827,  Mun- 
roe  and  Francis,  a  firm  of  Boston  booksellers, 
doing  business  at  what  is  now  the  comer  of 
Washington  and  Water  streets,  published  a 
book  called  "  Mother  Goose's  Quarto,  or  Melo- 
dies Complete,"  and  in  1833  their  successors, 
C.  S.  Francis  &  Co.,  brought  out  a  much  larger 
book,  the  title-page  of  which  reads  "Mother 
Goose's  Melodies:  The  only  Pure  Edition." 
Though  this  is  advertised  as  "pure"  Mother 
Goose,  and  though  it  contains  all  but  three  of 
the  original  rhymes  of  Newbery's  edition,  there 
is  a  plentiful  alloy  of  Gammer  Gurton,  and  of 
other  rhymes  which  had  escaped  both  authori- 
ties. In  fact,  Gammer  Gurton  is  at  this  point 
absorbed  and  loses  her  identity  in  Mother 
Goose.  The  Munroe  and  Francis  edition  has 
been  reprinted  in  fac-simile,  with  an  intro- 
duction by  Dr.  Edward  Everett  Hale. 

The  last  notable  addition  to  nursery  literature 
was  made  in  England  in  1842,  when  Halliwell, 
the  well-known  British  scholar  and  Shake- 
spearian critic,  pubUshed  "The  Nursery 
Rhymes  of  England,"  which  his  title  announced 
were  "collected  principally  from  oral  tradition," 
but  which  contained  nearly  all  of  Mother  Goose, 
206 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

Gammer  Gurton,  and  the  American  consoli- 
dated Mother  Goose,  besides  much  new  material 
which  the  collector  might  well  have  allowed  to 
remain  oral  tradition.  It  is  the  most  complete 
collection  of  nursery  rhymes  ever  pubUshed, 
and  is  interesting  to  the  student  of  folk-lore, 
though  not  altogether  profitable  to  the  child. 
Much  of  it  is  coarse,  a  great  deal  of  it  is  silly, 
and  unfortunately  the  coarsest  and  silliest  of  it 
has  been  repeated  ad  nauseam  in  modem 
editions,  to  the  lasting  shame  and  humihation 
of  the  mystic  dame  to  whom  it  is  now  attri- 
buted. 

The  fact  is  worthy  of  note  that  among  col- 
lectors and  editors  of  nursery  rhymes  are  to  be 
found  the  brightest  of  scholars  and  litterateurs. 
Goldsmith,  Ritson,  Halhwell,  Andrew  Lang, 
who  edited  in  1884  perhaps  the  best  children's 
collection  of  jingles  now  obtainable;  Dr. 
Charles  Eliot  Norton,  who  made  the  collection 
contained  in  Book  I  of  the  "Heart  of  Oak 
Books";  Professor  Saintsbury,  editor  of  the 
English  volume,  "National  Rhymes  of  the 
Nursery";  and  Charles  Welsh,  one  of  the  best 
authorities  on  children's  literature  in  this 
country  to-day. 

207 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

Thus  far  we  have  traced  simply  the  printed 
existence  of  these  rhymes, —  the  editorial  history 
of  them.  But  when  we  go  back  of  all  that,  and 
attempt  to  discuss  when  and  where  and  how 
they  first  came  into  being,  we  open  a  wide  field 
of  exploration, —  as  wide  as  the  worid  itself,  and 
as  old  as  history.  Take,  for  example,  "The 
House  that  Jack  Built."  This  and  the  story 
of  the  old  woman  who  bought  a  pig  (in  older 
versions,  kid)  and  found  difficulty  in  inducing  it 
to  jump  over  the  stile  and  "  get  home  to-night," 
came  from  the  same  source.  They  both  origi- 
nated in  an  old  accumulative  bit  of  verse 
found  in  the  Chaldee  and  also  in  the  Hebrew. 
This  verse  proceeded  step  by  step  from  the 
phrase: 

"A  kid,  a  kid,  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money, — 

A  kid,  a  kid." 

Then  appears  a  cat  and  eats  the  kid ;  following 
this,  a  dog  that  bites  the  cat;  then  a  staff  which 
beats  the  dog;  then  a  fire  which  bums  the  staff; 
water  which  quenches  the  fire;  an  ox  which 
drinks  the  water;  a  butcher  who  slays  the  ox; 
the  angel  of  death  who  kills  the  butcher; 
and  finally  the  Holy  One  who  kills  the  angel 
208 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

of  death.    The  last  verse,  translated,   reads 

thus: 

"  Then  came  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He, 
And  killed  the  angel  of  death 
That  killed  the  butcher 
That  slew  the  ox 
That  drank  the  water 
That  quenched  the  fire 
That  burned  the  staff 
That  beat  the  dog 
That  bit  the  cat 
That  ate  the  kid 
That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money, — 

A  kid,  a  kid." 

To  the  Jews  of  the  Middle  Ages  this  quaint 
old  verse  had  a  religious  symbolism.  It  was 
called  the  Haggadah,  and  was  sung  to  the  music 
of  a  rude  sort  of  chant,  as  a  part  of  the  "  home 
service"  of  the  Passover.  Its  earliest  appear- 
ance in  type,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn, 
was  in  1590,  in  a  book  issued  at  Prague.  In 
1731,  a  German  scholar  named  Leberecht 
published  in  Leipzig  the  interpretation.  The 
kid,  an  animal  emblematic  of  purity,  he  claimed 
represented  the  Hebrews;  the  father  who 
bought  the  kid,  Jehovah;  the  two  pieces  of 
money,  Moses  and  Aaron,  through  whom  the 
Hebrews  were  brought  out  of  Egypt;  the  cat, 
209 


CHILDREN'S   READING 

the  AssjTians;  the  dog,  the  Babylonians;  the 
staff,  the  Persians;  the  fire,  the  Greeks  under 
Alexander;  the  water,  the  Romans;  the  ox,  the 
Saracens  who  subdued  Palestine;  the  butcher, 
the  Crusaders,  who  conquered  the  Saracens; 
the  angel  of  death,  the  Turks,  who  succeeded  to 
the  possession  of  the  land;  the  whole  closing 
with  a  prophecy  that  the  Holy  One  would  in 
the  end  wipe  out  the  Turks  and  restore  the 
promised  land  to  his  children,  the  IsraeUtes. 
Both  the  song  and  the  interpretation  are  still 
retained  in  the  Jewish  manual  for  the  Passover 
service. 

The  rh3Tnes,  "Hush-a-bye,  baby,  upon  the 
tree  top  "  (orginally  "  Sing  lullaby,  baby,"  etc.) 
and  "Rock-a-bye,  baby,  thy  cradle  is  green," 
both  suggest  a  pastoral,  out-of-door  Ufe,  and  are 
of  great  antiquity.  The  first  is  quoted  in  a  song 
called  "The  London  Medley,"  printed  in  1744. 
The  same  song  also  contains  "Old  Obadiah 
sings  Ave  Maria,"  and  "There  was  an  old 
woman  sold  puddings  and  pies."  Old  King 
Cole  was  an  historical  character,  who  ruled  the 
Britons  in  the  third  century  A,  D.  Robert  of 
Gloucester  says  he  was  the  father  of  St.  Helena, 
and  hence  the  grandfather  of  Constantine. 
210 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

"Jack  and  Jill"  is  drawn  from  Icelandic 
mythology.  The  two  children  were  supposed 
to  have  been  stolen  and  taken  up  into  the  moon, 
where  they  still  stand  with  the  pail  of  water 
between  them;  and  the  Scandinavian  peasant 
will  point  them  out  to  you  on  a  clear  night  when 
the  moon  is  at  the  full,  as  we  point  out  to  our 
children  "the  man  in  the  moon."  A  mjiJi 
almost  identical  with  this  is  found  in  the  San- 
skrit. 

"When  Good  King  Arthur  ruled  the  land," 
and  stole  "  three  pecks  of  barley  meal  to  make 
a  bag  pudding,"  the  event  is  supposed  to  have 
been  commemorated  in  verse,  though  I  believe 
no  one  has  ever  found  any  details  of  the  seizure 
beyond  those  given  by  Mother  Goose. 

"Thirty  days  hath  September,"  appears  in 
Grafton's  Chronicle  (1570),  in  a  form  slightly 
diflFerent  from  that  to  which  we  are  accustomed. 
It  there  reads : 

"  Thirty  days  hath  Novembw, 
April,  June  and  September, 
February  hath  twenty-eight  alone 
And  all  the  rest  have  thirty-one" 

Another    variation    is    found    in    Winde*s 
Almanac  for  1636,  printed  at  Cambridge: 
2U 


CHILDREN'S   READING 

"April,  Jiine,  and  September 
Thirty  days  have,  as  November. 
Each  month  else  doth  never  vary 
Prom  thirty-one,  save  February, 
Which  twenty-eight  doth  still  confine 
Save  on  leap  year, —  then  twenty-nine." 

Still  another  version  is  quoted  in  an  old  play 
called  "The  Retume  from  Parnassus,"  pub- 
lished in  London  in  1606. 

The  first  line  of  "Sing  a  song  of  sixpence" 
is  quoted  in  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  "Bon- 
duca"  (about  1615);  "A  duck  and  a  drake 
and  a  half-penny  cake"  appears  in  Junius's 
" Nomenclator,"  London,  1585;  "When  a 
twister,  a-twisting  will  twist  him  in  a  twist** 
is  in  Dr.  WalUs's  "  Grammatica  Linguae  Angli- 
canae,"  Oxon,  1674;  "Three  Blind  Mice"  is 
in  a  book  called  "The  DeuteromeUa,"  pub- 
lished in  London  in  1609,  with  music  accom- 
panying; "Handy-dandy,  Jack-a-dandy"  is  a 
rhyme  the  repeating  of  which  was  part  of  an 
old  game  —  centuries  old.  It  is  referred  to  in 
"Piers  Ploughman"  (1362)  in  the  lines: 

"  Thanne  wowede  wrong 

Wisdom  ful  yeme 
To  maken  pees  with  his  pens. 
Handy-dandy  played." 

212 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

To  play  the  game,  a  small  object  was  con- 
cealed in  one  of  the  two  hands,  which  were 
tightly  closed  and  placed  one  upon  the  other, 
with  the  question  : 

'  Handy-dandy,  Jack-a-dandy, 
Which  good  hand  will  you  have  ?" 

or,  as  a  variation, 

"  Handy-dandy,  riddledy  ro, — 
Which  will  you  have,  high  or  low?" 

Children  to-day  still  play  the  game,  though 
the  rhyme  is  no  longer  connected  with  it. 

"  Three  children,  sUding  on  the  ice,  all  on  a 
summer's  day,"  is  found  in  a  book  of  "  Choyce 
Poems,"  pubUshed  in  London  in  1662,  and 
later  in  a  volume  figuratively  entitled  *'  Pills  to 
Purge  Melancholy, "  dated  1719. 

Many  of  the  popular  nursery  rhymes  are 
historical.  Several  of  these  have  already  been 
referred  to. 

"Over  the  water  and  over  the  sea 
And  over  the  water  to  Charley," 

was  an  old  Jacobite  song,  sung  many  a  time  in 
Scotland  at  midnight  meetings  in  the  alehouses 
while  waiting  for  "Bonnie  Prince  Charley." 
"  CharUe  loves  good  ale  and  wine  "  was  another 
218 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

drinking-song  of  the  same  period, —  some  say  a 
part  of  the  same  song,  though  that  is  doubtful. 
It  also  refers  to  the  Young  Pretender. 

"Bessy  Bell  and  Mary  Gray"  is  an  old 
Scotch  ballad,  well-known  before  the  end  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  It  refers  to  two  young 
women  of  Perth,  who  fled  to  the  country  during 
the  Plague  of  1645.  There  the  lover  of  one 
visited  them,  carried  the  contagion,  and  they 
both,  if  not  all  three,  died.  The  second  verse, 
found  in  nursery  collections,  in  which  Bessy  is 
represented  as  keeping  the  garden  gate  while 
Mary  kept  the  pantry,  is  a  comparatively 
modem  corruption.  The  original  ballad  has 
four  verses.     It  is  a  Uttle  gem  of  its  kind : 

"  O  Bessie  Bell  and  Mary  Gray 
They  war  twa  bonnie  lasses. 
They  biggit  a  bower  on  yon  bum-brae. 
And  theekit  it  o'er  wi'  rashes. 

"  They  theekit  it  o'er  wi'  rashes  green, 

They  theekit  it  o'er  wi'  heather; 
But  the  pest  cam  f  rae  the  burrows-town 
And  slew  them  baith  thegither. 

"  They  thought  to  he  in  Methven  kirkyard 
Amang  their  noble  kin; 
But  they  maun  lye  in  Stronach  haugh. 
To  biek  f  orenent  the  sin. 

214 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

"  And  Bessie  Bell  and  Mary  Gray 

They  war  twa  bonnie  lasses; 
They  biggit  a  bower  on  yon  bum-brae, 
And  theekit  it  o'er  wi'  rashes.'' 

"  Little  Jack  Homer  "  is  said  by  Mr.  Andrew 
Lang  to  have  lived  in  Wells,  Somersetshire,  in 
the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  and  the  plum  that 
he  pulled  out  of  the  Christmas  pie  was  an  estate 
formerly  belonging  to  the  Church,  which  was 
given  him  by  the  crown  upon  the  dissolution 
of  the  English  monasteries. 

"  Taffy  was  a  Welshman,  Taffy  was  a  thief," 
is  supposed  to  refer  to  the  Welsh  uprising  early 
in  the  fifteenth  century,  when  Owen  Glendower 
descended  upon  the  English  border  and  made 
trouble,  for  which  he  afterward  paid  dearly. 

The  familiar  rhyme  which  narrates  how  the 
King  of  France  went  up  the  hill  with  twenty 
thousand  men,  and  subsequently  came  down 
again,  appeared  in  a  little  pamphlet  called 
"  Pigges  Corantoe,  or  Newes  from  the  North," 
published  in  London  in  1642.  It  is  there 
called  Tarlton's  Song.  As  Tarlton  died  in 
1588,  it  must  be  quite  old.  No  one  seems  to 
have  discovered  what  particular  military  move- 
ment it  celebrates.  It  may  have  suggested  that 
316 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

series   of  self-evident   propositions   beginning 

**  There  was  a  crow  sat  on  a  stone, "  which  closes 

with  the  couplet, 

"There  was  a  navy  went  to  Spain, 
When  it  returned,  it  came  again." 

The  latter  is  known  to  have  reference  to  the 

failure  of  the  English  fleet  against  Cadiz  in 

1625. 

References  to  these  historical  rhymes  might 

be  multiplied  indefinitely.     There  is  "Please 

to  remember  the  Fifth  of  November,"  referring 

to  the  Gunpowder  Plot;    there  is  the  "black 

man  upon  the  black  horse,"  which  was  Charles 

the  First;  there  is  "Hector  Protector,  dressed 

all    in    green";    there    is    "The    Parliament 

soldiers,"  who  are  said  to  have  "gone  to  the 

King";  and  there  is 

"  Queen  Anne,  Queen  Anne,  you  sit  in  the  sun. 
As  white  as  a  lily,  as  fair  as  a  wand." 

Then  there  is  the  rhyme,  "London  Bridge 
is  falling  down,"  which  celebrates  an  event 
in  the  early  part  of  the  eleventh  century,  when 
King  Olaf,  the  Norseman,  went  to  England 
and  broke  down  London  Bridge  after  a  battle 
with  King  Ethelred.  The  victory  found  a 
place  in  the  Norse  sagas,  and  the  following 
216 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

lines  from  the  "Heimskringla"  evidentiy  formed 
the  basis  of  the  nursery  rhyme : 

"London  Bridge  is  broken  down, 
Grold  is  won  and  bright  renown. 
Shields  resounding, 
War  horns  sounding, 
Hildur  shouting  in  the  din; 
Arrows  singing. 
Mail  coats  ringing, 
Odin  makes  our  Olaf  win." 

As  one  looks  back  over  the  history  of  these 
old  rhjones,  he  is  filled  with  wonder  at  their 
vitality.  Century  after  century  has  passed 
over  them  and  they  still  find  a  place  in  every 
nursery,  a  comer  in  the  heart  of  every  child. 
Many  verses  for  children  have  been  written 
in  modem  times,  which  to  the  adult  mind 
seem  more  melodious  and  attractive,  but  the 
child  looks  upon  them  with  more  or  less  of  cold- 
ness. They  may  amuse  him  for  a  time,  but 
after  all,  it  is  his  Mother  Goose  that  he  takes 
to  bed  with  him.  He  knows  nothing  of  its 
antiquity  nor  of  its  history.  He  does  not 
know  why  he  hkes  it;  he  simply  likes  it. 

A  story  is  told  of  the  daughter  of  Horace 
Mann,  who  during  the  tender  years  of  baby- 
hood was  studiously  kept  away  from  the  cor- 
217 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

nipting  influence  of  all  nursery  nonsense,  and 
brought  up  in  an  eminently  proper  intellectual 
environment.  When  she  had  become  quite 
a  large  girl,  she  heard  one  day  for  the  first 
time,  "High  diddle  diddle,"  and  was  so  fas- 
cinated by  it,  that  she  begged  to  have  it  re- 
peated to  her  until  she  could  leam  it.  This 
story  proves  not  only  the  futility  of  keeping 
children  in  a  strait-jacket,  but  also  the  inherent 
attraction  of  Mother  Goose  aside  from  all 
possibilities  of  association  or  training. 

What  is  the  secret  of  this  ever-fresn  and 
ever-enduring  popularity?  Some  thoughtful 
persons  have  claimed  to  find  in  the  old  rhymes 
hints  of  profound  philosophy  which  they 
think  is  the  preservative  principle  that  has  kept 
them  through  the  centuries.  Mrs.  Whitney, 
in  her  deliciously  extravagant  "  Mother  Goose 
for  Grown  Folks,"  has  found  them  fairly  bris- 
tling with  morals.  She  sees  in  "Little  Boy 
Blue"  an  exhortation  to  youth  to  shake  oflF 
indolence  and  apply  itself  to  duty;  "Little 
Jack  Homer"  she  conceives  to  be  a  satire  on 
the  egotism  of  the  successful  man;  "Little  Bo 
Peep"  offers  comfort  to  the  disappointed; 
"Solomon  Grundy"  is  the  epitome  of  Hfe  —  a 
218 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

simpler  and  more  direct  form  of  Shakespeare's 
"Seven  Ages";  "The  Old  Woman  who  lived 
upon  Nothing  but  Victuals  and  Drink"  shows 
the  longing  of  the  unsatisfied  soul  after  things 
spiritual;  "  Jack  Sprat  and  his  Wife"  illustrates 
the  complementary  character  of  human  endow- 
ments,—  each  being  fitted  to  its  place  in  the 
economy  of  nature.  One  of  her  interpreta- 
tions, "Similia  Similibus,"  affects  to  show  the 
meaning  of  "The  Man  who  jumped  into  the 
Bramble  Bush."     She  says: 

"  Old  Dr.  Hahnemann  read  the  tale 

(And  he  was  wondrous  wise) 
Of  the  man  who,  in  the  bramble  bush. 
Had  scratched  out  both  his  eyes. 

"  And  the  fancy  tickled  mightily 

His  misty  German  brain. 
Thai,  by  jiunping  in  another  bush. 
He  got  them  back  again. 

"  So  he  called  it  *  homo-hop-aHiy* 

And  soon  it  came  about 
That  a  curious  crowd  among  the  thorns 
Was  hopping  in  and  out. " 

Mrs.  Whitney's  corollaries  are  drawn  more 
in  jest  than  in  earnest,  but  other  commenta- 
tors have  made  a  ridiculously  serious  matter  of 
it.    We  must  remember  that  the  popularity 
219 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

of  Mother  Goose  springs  from  the  child  him- 
self,—  and  what  child  has  any  vital  concern 
as  to  the  lesson  in  "Little  Boy  Blue"  ?  If  he 
suspected  that  there  is  a  lesson  in  it,  he  would 
lose  interest  at  once. 

Neither  is  it  the  wit  or  humor  that  appeals 
to  the  child.  Professor  Saintsbury  tells  of  an 
acquaintance  who  used  to  be  mightily  amused 
at  the  line,  "  Hotum,  potum,  paradise  tantum, 
peri-meri-dictum,  domine,"  in  which  he  said 
the  phrase,  "  paradise  tonfww," — only  paradise 

—  was  the  nicest  thing  he  knew.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  whoever  first  evolved  this  choice  pig- 
Latin  had  no  thought  of  doing  a  particularly 
nice  thing,  but  perhaps  wanted  to  burlesque 
some  old  Latin  formula  used  by  the  priests. 
At  all  events,  the  child  sees  nothing  witty  in 
it, —  the  jingle  is  what  attracts  him. 

The  child  takes  Httle  thought  as  to  what  any 
of  these  verses  mean.  There  are  perhaps  four 
elements  in  them  that  appeal  to  him, —  first, 
the  jingle,  and  with  it  that  pecuKar  cadence 
which  modem  writers  of  children's  poetry 
strive  in  vain  to  imitate;  second,  the  nonsense, 

—  with  just  enough  of  sense  in  it  to  connect  the 
nonsense   with   the   child's   thinkable   world; 

220 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

third,  the  action, —  for  the  stories  are  quite 
dramatic  in  their  way;  and  fourth,  the  quaint- 
ness.  Many  of  the  objects  which  are  referred 
to  are  entirely  uninteresting  to  him  in  them- 
selves, many  of  them  entirely  strange  and 
beyond  his  horizon  —  and  perhaps  this  quality 
of  mystery  also  adds  to  them  a  certain  charm. 
No  child  knows  exactly  what  it  was  that  Little 
Miss  Muffet  sat  on, —  and  it  is  an  interesting 
experiment  to  get  from  a  dozen  average  chil- 
dren their  ideas  on  this  subject.  The  concep- 
tions range  all  the  way  from  a  rocking-chair 
to  a  mushroom,  and  I  have  observed  that  the 
artists  who  illustrate  Mother  Goose  are  as 
far  apart  in  their  views  as  the  children.  Nor 
does  the  child  have  a  very  distinct  idea  of  what 
Miss  MuflFet  was  eating.  "Curds  and  whey" 
mean  nothing  to  him.  He  suspects  that 
the  combination  is  something  nice, —  perhaps 
something  resembling  ice-cream,  which  is  his 
most  exalted  conception  of  things  eatable. 
What  does  interest  him  is  the  rhyme  and  the 
swing  of  the  metre.  "  Spider  "  and  "  beside  her  " 
fall  on  his  ear  quite  pleasantly.  Then  he  has 
a  vague  feeling  of  sympathy  or  of  contemp- 
tuous pity  for  the  heroine,  conditioned  upon 
221 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

his  own  relations  with  spiders  in  general.  I 
remember,  in  my  childhood,  passing  through 
both  the  sympathetic  and  contemptuous 
stages;  the  first,  a  quite  deUghtful  sort  of  terror, 
which  made  me  half  fear  to  hear  the  story; 
the  second,  a  complacent  pleasure  which  grew 
out  of  the  consciousness  of  weakness  over- 
come. 

What  was  it  that  so  attracted  Horace 
Mann's  daughter  in  "  High  diddle  diddle "  ? 
First,  undoubtedly,  the  metre,  which  is  a  waltz 
movement,  suggesting  all  the  abandon  of  the 
unusual  scene  which  it  celebrates, —  this  em- 
phasized by  the  alliteration  in  the  first  two 
lines,  Uke  the  beat  of  some  barbaric  tom-tom. 
There  is,  too,  an  excellent  set  of  rhymes,  except 
in  the  emasculated  modem  version,  which 
substitutes  "sport"  for  the  good  old  Enghsh 
word  '*  craft," —  meaning  skill,  strength,  and 
courage, —  and  thereby  destroys  the  verse, 
and  the  idea  as  well.  Then  there  is  the  very 
intoxication  of  movement.  Every  one  is  doing 
something.  And,  finally,  there  is  the  absolute 
nonsense  of  it  all.  I  do  not  wonder  that  the 
verse  has  lasted  three  hundred  years  or  so; 
it  is  good  for  at  least  three  hundred  more, 
222 


MOTHER  GOOSE 

unless  children  grow  too  wise  to  love  absurdi- 
ties and  too  proper  to  feel  the  swing  of  a  half- 
savage  melody. 

Many  good  people  have  tried  to  improve 
Mother  Goose.  A  familiar  story  is  that  of 
the  Quaker  who  revised  "  High  diddle  diddle  " 
for  his  little  Mary, —  making  the  cow  to  jump 
under  the  moon,  the  Uttle  dog  to  bark,  rather 
than  laugh,  and  the  cat  to  run  after  the  spoon, 
the  dish  being  debarred  from  such  action  on 
account  of  the  manifest  impossibiUty  of  run- 
ning without  legs.  It  is  not  recorded  how 
little  Mary  received  the  emendations,  but  it 
may  be  inferred  that  she  did  not  highly  ap- 
prove of  them. 

Every  attempt  to  alter  Mother  Goose  for 
the  better  has  resulted  in  failure.  To  try  to 
make  her  sensible  is  to  destroy  a  large  element 
of  her  charm.  To  modernize  her  is  to  lose 
that  quaint  flavor  of  things  half-understood 
and  wholly  unusual,  which  appeals  to  every 
child.  To  expurgate  her  and  try  to  make  of 
her  a  moral  teacher  is  to  relegate  her  to  the 
dust-bin.  Some  things  there  are  in  the  old 
editions  whch  are  coarse  to  modem  ears,  and 
judicious  editors  wisely  omit  them,  but  on  the 
223 


CHILDREN'S  READING 

whole,  there  is  little  danger  that  the  rising 
generation  will  have  its  morals  or  its  taste  de- 
based by  this  old  classic.  To  trifle  with  Mother 
Goose  is  Uke  trifling  with  Shakespeare.  We 
have  no  men  or  women  Uving  nowadays  who 
can  improve  upon  her. 


224 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 

LISTS  OF  BOOKS  SUITABLE  FOR  SCHOOL  AND 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LIBRARIES 

[The  Agarea  indicate  school  grades  fl-om  primary  through  high 
School.] 


FOLK-LORE,  FAIRY  AND  WONDER  TALES, 
FABLES.  MYTHS.  AND  LEGENDS 

OBADBS 

.    .    .    Fables S  to   4  O 

Fairy  Tales 3  to    6 

,    Arabian  Nights   ......  5  to  12  O 

Fairy  Stories  and  Fables  .    .    .  2  to   4  O 

Fifty  Famous  Stories  Retold      .  3  to 

Old  Greek  Stories 4  to 


iEsop     .    . 

Andersen    . 

Arabian 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baldwin 

Baring-Gould 


Beckwith 
Besant  . 
Blumenthal 
Brown  . 
Bunyan 
Carroll  . 
Carroll  . 
Carryl  . 
Chamisso 
Chandler 
Church  . 


Old  Stories  of  the  East    ...  4  to 

The  Story  of  the  Golden  Age    .  4  to   8    O 

The  Story  of  Roland    .    .    .    .  6  to  10   ^^ 

The  Story  of  Siegfried      .    .     .  6  to  10    J 
Curious  Myths  of  the  Middle 

Ages 6  to  10 

In  Mythland 4  to   6 

The  Story  of  King  Arthur     .    .  6  to  10 

Folk- Tales  from  the  Russian     .  4  to   8 

In  the  Days  of  the  Giants    .    .  3  to   6 

Pilgrim's  Progress 5  to  12 

Alice  in  Wonderland    ....  5  to    8    0 

Through  the  Looking-Glass  .    .  5  to   8    O 

Davy  and  the  Goblin   ....  5  to    8 

Peter  Schlemihl 6  to   8 

In  the  Reign  of  Coyote    .    .    .  6  to   8  '^' 
Stories  from  the  Greek  Trage- 
dians        6  to  10 

227 


CHILDREN'S    READING 


GRADES 

Church  .    .    .    Stories  from  Homer    .    .    .    .  6  to  10 

Church.     .    .    The  Story  of  the  Iliad    .     .     .  6  to  10 

Church .     .     .     Stories  of  the  Magicians       .      .  6  to  10 

O  Church.    .    .    Stories  of  the  Old  Worid      .     .  5  to  10 

Church .     .     .    Stories  from  Virgil                      .  6  to  10 
O  Collodi .    .    .    Pinocchio:    The  Adventures  of 

a  Marionette 3  to   6 

Cranch      .     .     Translation  of  Virgil's  JEneid    .  8  to  12 

Fouqu^     .     .     Undine 6  to   8 

FrandUon      .     Gods  and  Heroes      .     .     .     .  3  to   8 

O  Grimm      .      .     Fairy  Tales  (Selected)     .     .      .  3  to    6 

O  Grover      .     .     Folk-Lore  Stories                      .  1  to   2 

Guerber    .     .     Myths  of  Greece  and  Rome  6  to   8 

O  Harris       .     .     Uncle  Remus  and  his  Friends  .  5  to   8 

Harris       .     .     Nights  with  Uncle  Remus    .     .  5  to   8 

Harris       .     .     Mr.  Rabbit  at  Home                 .  5  to   8 

Harris       .     .     Little  Mr.   Thimblefinger  and 

his  Queer  Country                 .  6  to   8 

^  Hawthorne     .     Wonder  Book 6  to   8 

0  Hawthorne     .     Tanglewood  Tales          ,     .     .  6  to   8 

(See  also  Fiction.) 

OHolbrook  .     .     Book  of  Nature  Myths  .     .     .  2  to   3 

i^  Homer      .          The  Odyssey  (Palrner's  trans.) .  6  to  12 

O  Homer      .     .     The  Iliad  (Lang's  trans.)     .      .  7  to  12 

Ingelow     .           Mopsa  the  Fairy        .                 .  4  to    6 

<  Irving       .     .     Rip  Van  Winkle 6  to  12 

Jacobs  (Ed.)  .     Reynard  the  Fox 3  to   4 

Kingsley   .     .     Water  Babies 5  to   8 

Kingsley   .          Greek  Heroes 6  to   8 

O  Kipling     .          Just  So  Stories 5  to   8 

(See  also  Fiction,  and  Nature.) 

O  LaFontaine   .     Fables 3  to   6 

Lamb  .     .     .     The  Adventures  of  LHysses  .     .  6  to   8 

228 


APPENDIX 


Lang  . 

.     .     Blue  Fairy  Book       .... 

GBADES 

3  to    6 

Lang   . 

Green  Fairy  Book     . 

3  to    6 

Lang  . 

.      .     Red  Fairy  Book  .     . 

3  to    6 

Lang   . 

.     Yellow  Fairy  Book    . 

3  to    6 

Lanier 

The  Boy's  King  Arthur 

6  to  12  O 

Lanier 

.     The  Boy's  Mabinogion 

6  to  12 

Lanier 

The  Boy's  Percy 

6  to  12 

McMurry 

.     Classic  Stories  for  the   Little 

Ones 

2  to   4 

Mabie 

Norse  Stories  Retold  from  the 

Eddas 

6  to  12   -• 

Macdonak 

1     .     At   the   Back    of    the    North 

Wind 

5  to   8    «^ 

MacdonaU 

1     .     The  Princess  and  the  Goblin    . 

5  to    8 

MacdonaU 

i     .     The  Princess  and  Curdie     . 

5  to    8 

Menefee 

Child    Stories  from  the  Mas- 

ters       

5  to   8 

Mulock-Ci 

•aik     The  Adventures  of  a  Brownie  . 

4  to    8  0 

Pratt   . 

.     Legends  of  the  Red  Children    . 

4  to    8  0 

Pyle    . 

.     King  Arthur  and  his  Knights    . 

6  to  10 

Pyle    . 

The  Merry  Adventures  of  Robin 

Hood 

6  to  10 

pyle    . 

.     The  Wonder  Clock   .     .     .     . 

5  to    8 

Ruskin 

The  King  of  the  Golden  River 

5to   8  ^ 

Schoolcraf 

.     Algic  Researches       .... 

7  to  12 

Scudder 

The  Book  of  Legends 

5  to    8  O 

Shaw   . 

.     Stories  of  the  Ancient  Greeks    . 

5to    8  O 

Steel    ,      . 

.     Tales  of  the  Punjab  .... 

6  to    8 

Stockton 

.     .     Fanciful  Tales 

5  to    8 

Swift    . 

.     Gulliver's  Traveb     .... 

5to   8  0 

Wflson 

The  Faery  Queen    (from  Spen- 

ser)   

6  to  10 

Zitkala-Sa 

Old  Indian  Legends       .     . 

4to    8 

229 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


FICTION 

QBADES 

Abbott 

.     .    Malleville 

.     6to   8 

OAIcott . 

.     .     Little  Women      .     .     . 

.     6  to  12 

OAIcott. 

.    Little  Men     .... 

.     .     6  to  12 

OAIcott. 

Jo's  Boys        .... 

.      .     6  to  12 

OAIcott. 

.     An  OId-Fa.shioned  Girl  . 

.     6  to  12 

.     Jack  and  Jill  .... 

.     6  to  12 

Alcott. 

.     Spinning- Wheel  Stories  . 

.     6  to  12 

Alcott. 

.     .     Jimmie's  Cruise  in  the  Pinafore    6  to  12 

0  Alcott . 

.     .     Under  the  Lilacs 

.     6  to  12 

Alcott. 

.     An     Old-Fashioned     Thanks- 

giving     

.     6  to  12 

Alden  . 

.     The  Cruise  of  the  Canoe  Club  .     6  to   8 

Aldrich 

Marjorie  Daw  and  Other  People     5  to  12 

Aldrich 

.     The  Story  of  a  Bad  Boy 

.     5to    8 

Allen     . 

.     .     A  Kentucky  Cardinal 

.     6  to  12 

Auerbach 

.     Edelweiss 

.     6  to  12 

Austen 

.     Pride  and  Prejudice  .     . 

.     .     8  tol2 

Austen 

Sense  and  Sensibility 

.     8  to  12 

Austen 

.     Emma       

.     8  to  12 

d  Austin 

.     Standish  of  Standish 

.     7  to  12 

Barboiir 

.     For  the  Honor  of  the  Schoo 

.     6  to  10 

Barbour 

.     TheHalf-Back    .     .     . 

.     6  to  10 

Barbour    . 

.     Behind  the  Line  .... 

.     6  to  10 

Barr    . 

.     A  Border  Shepherdess    . 

.     6  to   9 

Barr    . 

.     A  Daughter  of  Fife   .     . 

.     6  to    9 

C>Bame 

.    The  LitUe  Minister  .     . 

.     8  to  12 

Barrie 

.     Margaret  Ogilvy       .     . 

.     8  to  12 

DBarrie 

Sentimental  Tommie 

.     8  to  12 

d  Barrie 

.     A  Window  in  Thrums    . 

.     8  to  12 

Bennett 

.     Master  Skylark    . 

.     6  to  10 

Besant 

.     For  Faith  and  Freedom 

.     8  to  12 

b  Black  . 

The  Four  Macnicols 

.     6  to  12 

230 


APPENDIX 


OBADE8 

Black  .     .     .  Macleod  of  Dare       ....  6  to  12 

Black  ...  A  Princess  of  Thule  .      .      .      .  6  to  12 

Blackmore  Loma  Doone 7  to  12   "> 

Bouvet      .  Bernardo  and  Laurette  .  .  6  to  10 

Bouvet  .  Pierrette 6  to  10 

Bouvet      .     .  A  Child  of  Tuscany  .     .     .     .  6  to  10 

Bouvet      .     .  Sweet  William 6  to  10 

Bouvet      .     .  Prince  Tip-Top 6  to  10 

Boyesen    .  Against  Heavy  Odds      .     .  7  to  12 

Boyesen    .  Norseland  Tales 6  to  10 

Boyesen    .  Boyhood  in  Norway       .     .  6  to  10 

Boyesen    .  Gunnar 8  to  12 

Bronte      .     .  The  Professor 8  to  12 

Bronte      .     .  Shirley 8  to  12 

Bryant      .     .  The  Christmas  Cat  .     .     .     .  5  to   7 

Bulwer-Lytton  The  Last  Days  of  Pompeii  .     .  7  to  12  0 

Bulwer-Lytton  Rienzi 7  to  12 

Bulwer-Lytton  Harold 7  to  12 

Bulwer-Lytton  The  Last  of  the  Barons       .     .  7  to  12 

Bulwer-Lytton  Zanoni 7  to  12 

Burnett  Little  Lord  Fauntleroy  .  5  to   8 

Burnett  Little  Saint  Elizabeth  .  5  to   8 

Burnett  The  Little  Princess  ( Sara  Crewe)  5  to   8 

Burnett  That  Lass  o'  Lowrie's    .  8  to  12 

Bumey     .     .  Evelina 8  to  12 

Butterworth   .  Log  Schoolhouse  on  the  Colum- 
bia     5  to   8 

Butterworth   .  A  Knight  of  Liberty  .  5  to   8 

Butterworth   .  The  PUot  of  the  Mayflower       .  5  to   8 

Butterworth   .  The  Patriot  Schoolmaster    .     .  5  to   8 

Cable  .  Bonaventure 8  to  12  , 

Cable  ...  Dr.  Sevier 8  to  12^ 

Cable  .     .     .  The  Grandissimes    ....  8  to  12 

23X 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


O  Cervantes 
Clemens 
Clemens 

O  Clemens 
Coffin  . 
Connor 
Connor 
Connor 
Connor 
Coolidge 
Coolidge 
Coolidge 
Coolidge 
Coolidge 

^Cooper 
Cooper 
Cooper 
.  Cooper 
Cooper 
Cooper 

C' Cooper 
Cooper 
Cooper 
Craddock 
Craddock 


Craddock 
Craddock 
Craddock 
Craddock 
Crane  (Ed.) 
Crockett  . 
Crockett   . 


GBADEB 

Don  Quixote 6  to  12 

Prince  and  Pauper    .                .  6  to  12 

Old  Times  on  the  Mississippi   .  7  to  12 

The  Adventures  of  Tom  Sawyer  6  to  12 

Dan  of  Millbrook      ....  7  to  12 

The  Sky  Pilot 8  to  12 

The  Man  from  Glengarry    .  8  to  12 

Glengarry  School  Days  .      .  6  to    8 

Black  Rock 8  to  12 

What  Katy  Did 6  to  10 

What  Katy  Did  at  School    .     .  6  to  10 

Clover 6  to  10 

In  the  High  Valley    .     .     .     .  6  to  10 

A  New  Year's  Bargain  .     .  6  to  10 

The  Last  of  the  Mohicans  .  7  to  12 

The  Pathfinder 7  to  12 

The  Deerslayer 7  to  12 

The  Pioneers 7tol2 

The  Prairie 7  to  12 

The  Redskin 7  to  12 

The  Spy 7  to  12 

The  Pilot 7  to  12 

The  Water  Witch      .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

In  the  Tennessee  Mountains  6  to  12 
The  Prophet  of  the  Great  Smoky 

Mountains 6  tolS 

The  Story  of  Keedon  Bluffs      .  6  to  12 

The  Young  Moimtaineers    .  6  to  12 

Down  the  Ravine                 .  6  to  12 

The  Story  of  Old  Fort  Loudon .  6  to  12 

Italian  Popular  Tales     .  7  to  10 

Kit  Kennedy,  Country  Boy       .  6  to  12 

The  Stickit  Minister       .     .     .  7  to  12 


APPENDIX 


Cummins  The  Lamplighter 

Dana  .      .  Two  Years  Before  the  Mast 

Daniel       .      .  Andree  Theuriette 

Daskam    .  The  Imp  and  the  Angel 

Daskam    .  The  Madness  of  Philip  . 

DeAmids  Cuore:  An  Italian  Schoolboy's 

Journal 

Defoe  .  Robinson  Crusoe 

De  la  Ramee  Findelkind 

DelaRam^e  The  Child  of  Urbino      .     . 

De  la  Ramee  The  Nurnberg  Stove 

Diaz    .  Polly  Cologne      .... 

Diaz    .  The  William  Henry  Letters 

Diaz    .  .  William  Henry  and  his  Friends 

Dickens  The  Pickwick  Papers 

Dickens  A  Tale  of  Two  Cities 

Dickens     .  David  Copper6eld 

Dickens  Dombey  and  Son 

Dickens  Nicholas  Nickleby 

Dickens  Oliver  Twist  . 

Dickens  Martin  Chuzzlewit 

Dickens  The  Old  Curiosity  Shop 

Dickens  Bleak  House  . 

Dickens  Little  Dorrit  . 

Dickens  Bamaby  Rudge   . 

Dickens  Our  Mutual  Friend 

Dickens  Great  Ex])ectations 

Dickens  Christmas  Books 

Dodge  Hans  Brinker 

Dodge       .     .  The  Land  of  Pluck 

Dodge  Donald  and  Dorothy 

Dodge  (Ed.)  .  New  Baby  World 

Doyle  .  Micah  Clarke 

233 


GBADKS 

8  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 

6  to  12 

4  to  12  0 
4  to   8 
4to   8 

4  to   8 

3  to    6   w 

5  to  10 

5  to  10 

7  to  12 

8  to  12  O 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 

7  to  12 
7  to  12  O 
7  to  12 
7  to  12  ^ 
7  to  12 
7  to  12    > 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 

7  to  12 

6  to  12 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
3  to    6 

8  to  12 


O 


0 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Dumas 
Dumas 
0  Duncan 
Ebers  . 
Ebers  . 
Ebers  . 
Ebers  . 
Edgeworth 
Edgeworth 
Edgeworth 
Edgeworth 
EgglestoQ 
Eg^leston 
Eliot,  George 
O  Eliot,  George 
^  Eliot,  George 
Eliot,  George 
Eliot,  George 
Eliot,  George 
Eliot,  George 
Eliot,  George 
Erckmann- 
Chatrian 
Ewing 


Ewing 
Ewing 

bEwing 
Ewing 
Ewing 

Ctewing 
Ewing 

d  Field   . 


GRADES 

The  Three  Musketeers  .     .     .  8  to  12 

Twenty  Years  After  ....  8  to  12 

Dr.  Luke  of  the  Labrador   .  8  to  12 

An  Egyptian  Princess     .  8  to  12 

The  Emperor 8  to  12 

Uarda 8  to  12 

Joshua 8  to  12 

Early  Lessons 6  to   8 

Moral  Tales 6  to    8 

Parent's  Assistant      .      .      .      .  6  to    8 

Popular  Tales 6  to   8 

The  Hoosier  Schoolmaster  .     .  8  to  12 

The  Hoosier  Schoolboy  .      .  6  to  12 

Romola 8  to  12 

Silas  Marner 8  to  12 

Middlemarch 8  to  12 

Daniel  Deronda 8  to  12 

Adam  Bede 8  to  12 

The  Mill  on  the  Floss    .     .     .  8  to  12 

Scenes  of  Clerical  Life   .           .  8  to  12 

Felix  Holt 8  to  12 

Madame  Theresa 6  to  12 

Brothers    of  Pity,   and  Other 

Tales  of  Beasts  and  Men  5  to  10 

Daddy  Darwin's  Dovecote  .  5  to  10 

A  Flatiron  for  a  Farthing  5  to  10 

Jackanapes 5  to  10 

Jan  of  the  Windmill       .     .     .  5  to  10 

Mary's  Meadow 5  to  10 

Six  to  Sixteen 6  to  10 

Story  of  a  Short  Life  5  to  10 

A  Little  Book  of  Profitable  Tales  6  to  12 

234 


APPENDIX 


Fletcher    . 

Frederic    . 

GaskeU     . 

Goldsmith 

Hale 

Hale 

Hale 

Hale 

Hale 

Hale,  L.  P. 

Hale,  L.  P. 

Harris 

Harrison   . 

Hawthorne 

Hawthorne 

Hawthorne 

Hawthorne 

Holland 
Holland 
Holland 
Hopkins 
Hopkins 

Housekeeper 

Howells 

Howells 

Howells 

Hughes 

Hughes 

Hugo  . 

Hugo  . 


Marjorie  and  her  Papa 

In  the  Valley  . 

Cranford   .... 

The  Vicar  of  Wakefield 

The  Man  without  a  Country 

Philip  Nolan's  Friends 

In  His  Name 

His  Level  Best 

Ten  Times  One  is  Ten 

The  Peterkin  Papers 

Last  of  the  Peterkins 

Plantation  Pageants  . 

In  Storyland  . 

The  Marble  Faun     . 

The  House  of  the  Seven  Gables 

Twice-Told  Tales     .... 

Mosses  from  an  Old  Manse 

(See  also  Folk-Lore,  etc.) 

Arthur  Bonnicastle    .... 

Sevenoaks       

Nicholas  Mintum     .... 
The  Sandman:  His  Farm  Stories 
The    Sandman:    More   Farm 

Stories 

Hermit  of  Livry 

A  Boy's  Town 

The  Flight  of  Pony  Baker 
The  Rise  of  Silas  Lapham  . 
Tom  Brown  at  Rugby    . 
Tom  Brown  at  Oxford   . 
Jean  Valjean   (Abridged  from 

Les  Miserables)     .... 
Ninety-Three 

235 


oBAon 
2to    5 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12  O 
6  to  12  <3 
6  to  12  ^ 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to   8 

5  to    8 

6  to  12 
5to    8 

8  to  12  O 
8  to  12 
6  to  12 
8  to  12 

6  to  12 

6  to  12 

7  to  12 
3to    6     ^ 

3  to  6 
6  to  12 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 

8  to  12 

6  to  12 

7  to  12 

8  to  12     O 
8  to  12 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Ingelow    .  .  Stories  Told  to  a  Child  (2  vols.) 

^Irving       .  .  The  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow 

C!>  Irving       .  .  The  Alhambra     .... 

Irving       .  .  Tales  of  a  Traveller  . 

Irving  Bracebridge  Hall 

(See  also  Folk-Lore,  etc.) 

Jackson  Ramona 

O  Jackson  Nelly's  Silver  Mine  . 

Jewett       .  .  Betty  Leicester's  Christmas 

Jewett       .  Play  Days 

Johnson    .  .  Rasselas,  Prince  of  Abyssinia 

O  Johnston  .  .  The  Little  Colonel    .     .     . 

Johnston  .  .  Two  Little  Knights  of  Kentucky 

Kellogg     .  .  Lion  Ben  of  Elm  Island. 

Kellogg     .  .  Charlie  Bell  of  Elm  Island  . 

Kellogg     .  .  The  Ark  of  Elm  Island  .     . 

Kellogg     .  .  The  Boy  Farmers  of  Elm  Island 

Kellogg     .  .  The  Young  Shipbuilders  of  Elm 

Island 

Kellogg.    .  Hardscrabble  of  Elm  Island 

Kingsley   .  Hereward  the  Wake 

Kingsley   .  .  Hypatia 

Kingsley   .  Westward-Ho 

O  Kipling     .  .  Captains  Courageous    . 

O  Kipling     .  .  Soldiers  Three 

Kipling     .  .  Wee  Willie  Winkie    .... 

Kipling     .  .  Puck  of  Pook's  Hill  ...     . 
(See  also  Folk-Lore,  Nature,  etc.) 

Laboulaye  .  Abdallah 

O  Lamb  .     .  Tales  from  Shakespeare 

Liljencrantz  .  The  Thrall  of  I^eif  the  Lucky  . 

Longfellow  .  Hyperion 

Loti     .     .  .  The  Romance  of  a  Child     .     . 

236 


GRADES 

4  to    6 

7  to  12 

8  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 


8  to  12 

5  to    8 

6  to  10 
4  to  8 
8  to  12 
6  to  8 
6  to 
6  to 
6  to 
6  to 
6  to 


6  to  8 
6  to  8 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
5  to   8 

5  to    8 

6  to  12 
6  to  10 
6  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 


APPENDIX 


MacDonald    . 

MacDonald 

MacDonald 

MacDonald 

MacDonald 

Maclarea  . 

Maclaren  . 

Martineau 

Martineau 

Mitchell    . 

Molesworth 

Molesworth 

Morris 

Mulock-Craik 

Mulock-Craik 

Page    .     .     . 

Page    .     .     . 


Perry  .     . 

Phelps-Ward 

Phelps-Ward 

Hielps-Ward 

Plympton 

Pee 

Poe     . 

Porter 

Porter 

Prentiss 

Pyle     . 

Pyle    . 

Ray     . 


Annals  of  a  Quiet  Neighbor- 
hood       8  to  12 

Malcohn 8  to  12 

Robert  Falconer 8  to  12 

SirGibbie 8  to  12 

Warlock  o'  Glen  Warlock    .     .  8  to  12 

Beside  the  Bonnie  Brier  Bush  .  8  to  12 

Kate  Carnegie 8  to  12 

The  Crofton  Boys     .     .     .      .  6  to  12 

The  Peasant  and  the  Prince      .  7  to  12 

Hugh  WjTinc,  Free  Quaker.     .  8  to  12 

The  Cuckoo  Clock    .     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Christmas  Tree  Land     ,     ,     .  6  to  12 

Sigurd  the  Volsung   .     .  .  6  to  12 

John  Halifax,  Gentleman    .  8  to  12 

The  Little  Lame  Prince  .  5  to   8 

Two  Little  Confederates      .     .  5  to   8 

Li  Ole  Virginia 7  to  12 

A  Captured  Santa  Claus  .  6  to   8 

Three  Little  Daughters  of  the 

Revolution 6  to   8 

A  Tjost  Hero 8  to  12 

The  Trotty  Book      .     .     .     .  4  to   6 

Gypsy  Breynton  .  6  to  10 

Dear  Daughter  Dorothy  6  to  10 

The  Fall  of  the  House  of  Usher  8  to  12 

The  Gold  Bug 8  to  12 

Scottish  Chiefs 6  to  12 

Thaddeus  of  Warsaw     .     .      .  6  to  12 

Little  Susy  Stories  .  .  6  to    8 

Otto  of  the  Silver  Hand       .     .  6  to   8 

Men  of  Iron 6  to   8 

Rinaultree 8  to  12 

237 


0 

o 
o 
o 

o 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Reade 

Reade 

Reade 
ORichards 

Richards 
^Richards 

Richards 
QRichards 
ORichards 
QRichards 

Richardson 

Saintine 

Saintine 

Saint-Pierre 
PScott   . 

Scott  . 
OScott   . 

Scott   . 

Scott  . 
<?Scott   . 

Scott   . 

Scott   . 

Scott   . 

Scott  . 
^  Scott  . 
OScott    . 

Scott   . 

Scott   . 

Scott    . 

Scott   . 

Scott    . 

Seawell 

Segur  . 


OBADE8 

The  Cloister  and  the  Hearth     .  8  to  12 

Put  Yourself  in  his  Place     .     .  8  to  12 

It 's  Never  Too  Late  to  Mend  .  8  to  12 

Queen  Hildegarde          .     .     .  6  to  10 

Melody 6  to  10 

The  Golden  Windows    .     .     .  6  to  10 

Captain  January       ,     .     .     .  6  to  10 

Five-Minute  Stories  .     .     .     .  S  to   6 

More  Five-Minute  Stories    .  4  to   6 

Quicksilver  Sue 4  to   6 

Stories  from  Old  English  Poetry  8  to  12 

Picciola 6  to  12 

Alone 6  to  12 

Paul  and  Virginia     .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Ivanhoe 7  to  12 

Guy  Mannering 7  to  12 

The  Talisman 7  tcl2 

Rob  Roy 7  to  12 

Quentin  Durward     .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Kenilworth 7  to  12 

Old  Mortality 7  to  12 

Waverley 7  to  12 

Woodstock 7  to  12 

The  Monastery 7  to  12 

The  Abbot 7  to  12 

The  Antiquary 7  to  12 

The  Heart  of  Mid-Lothian  .     .  7  to  12 

Redgauntlet 7  to  12 

PeverQ  of  the  Peak   .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

The  Pirate 7  to  12 

The  Bride  of  Lammermoor  7  to  12 

The  Rock  of  the  Lion    .     .     .  6  to  10 

Sophie 6  to   8 

238 


.APPENDIX 


OBASfeS 

Sharp  .     .  .  The  Other  Boy 7  to  10 

Sharp  .     .  .  The  Youngest  Girl  in  School    .  7  to  10 

Shaw  .     .  .  Castle  Blair 7  to  10 

Shaw  .     .  .  Hector 7  to  10 

Smith  .     .  .  Arabella  and  Araminta  .     .     .  1  to   3 

Smith  .     .  .  Roggie  and  Reggie    ....  1  to   3 

Spyri   .     .  .  Heidi 4  to   8 

Stevenson  Treasure  Island 6  to  12  i^ 

Stevenson  The  Black  Arrow      .     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Stevenson  .  Kidnapped 6  to  12  ^ 

Stevenson  .  The  Master  of  Ballantrae    .  8  to  12 

Stowe  .     .  .  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Stowe  .     .  .  Oldtown  Folks 8  to  12 

Stowe  ...  A  Dog's  Mission  .  .  .  ,  6  to  8 
Stowe  .  .  .  Queer  Little  People  .  .  .  ,  6  to  8 
Stowe  .  .  ,  Little  Pussy  Willow  .  .  .  .  6  to  10 
Stuart  Solomon  Crow's  Christmas  Pock- 
ets, and  Other  Tales  .  .  .  6  to  10 
Taylor  .  .  Hannah  Thurston  .  .  .  .  6  to  12 
Taylor      .  .  The  Story  of  Kennett     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Thackeray  Henry  Esmond 8  to  12 

Thackeray  .  Vanity  Fair 9  to  12 

Thackeray  Pendennis 8  to  12 

Thackeray  The  Newcomes 8  to  12 

Thackeray  .  The  Virginians 8  to  12  O 

Thackeray  .  The  Rose  and  the  Ring  .     .     .  5  to   8  O 

Thanet     .  .  We  All 6  to  12 

Thaxter    .  .  Stories  and  Poems  for  Children  5  to   8 

Tomlinson  A  Jersey  Boy  in  the  Revolution  6  to   8 

Tomlinson  Three  Colonial  Boys  6  to   8 

Tomlinson  Three  Young  Continentals  .  6  to  8 

Trowbridge  .  Cudjo's  Cave 6  to  10  ^ 

Trowbridge  .  A  Start  in  Life 6  to  10 

239 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


(See 


Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 
Trowbridge 

Van  Dyke 


C?Wallace 

C5  Wallace 

Warner 

<^Waterloo 
Weaver 
Whitaker 
Whitaker 
WTiitaker 
Whitaker 
Whitaker 
White  . 
White  . 
White. 
Whitney 
Whitney 
Whitney 
Whitney 

Whittier 
Wiggin 
^  Wiggin 
OWiggin 


For- 


Biding  his  Time  . 
The  Kelp  Gatherers 
The  Scarlet  Tanager 
The  lottery  Ticket  .      . 
Two  Biddicut  Boys  . 
His  One  Fault     .     .     . 
Jack   Hazard    and    his 

tunes 

The  Other  Wise  Man     .     .     . 
(See  also  Essays,  etc.) 

The  Fair  God 

Ben  Hur 

Being  a  Boy 

also  Nature,  Travel,  and  Essays.) 

The  Story  of  Ab 

My  Lady  Nell 

Zoe 

Tip  Cat 

M.  orN 

LU 

Miss  Toosey's  Mission   . 
A  Little  Girl  of  Ijong  Ago  . 
Ednah  and  her  Brothers 
When  Molly  was  Six 

We  Girls 

Homespun  Yams      .... 

Faith  Gartney's  Girlhood 

A   Summer    in  Ijeslie     Gold- 

thwaite's  Life 

Child  Life  in  Prose  (Selections) 
Timothy's  Quest       .... 
Polly  Oliver's  Problem  . 
The  Story  of  Patsy   .     .     .     . 

240 


OBADE8 

6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 

6  to  10 

6  to  12 

8  to  12 

7  to  12 
6  to  12 

6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  8 
6  to  8 
3to  6 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 

6  to  10 

5  to  12 

6  to  10 
6  to  10 
6  to  10 


APPENDIX 


Wiggin      .      . 
Wiggin      .      . 
Wiggin 
Wilkins-Free- 

man 
Wilkins-Free- 

man 

Wilkins-Free- 
man 

Wilkins-Free- 

maa 
Wister 
Woods 
Woods 
Wyss  . 
Yonge 
Yonge 
Yonge 
Yonge 

Zollinger 
2k>Uinger 


The  Story  Hour  .... 
The  Birds'  Christmas  Carol 
Rebecca  of  Sunnybrook  Farm 


OBAOES 

fito  8 
6  to  10 
6  to  12 


O 

o 
o 


The  Jamesons     .     .     .  7  to  12 


A  New  England  Nun,  and  Other 
Stories 

The  Pot  of  Gold,  and  Other 
Stories 

In  Colonial  Times     .     .     . 

The  Virginian 

Six  Little  Rebels       .... 

Dr.  Dick 

Swiss  Family  Robinson  . 

The  Heir  of  Redclyflfe    .     .     . 

Daisy  Chain 

Trial 

The  Pillars  of  the  House  (2 

vols.) 

Maggie  McLanehan 

The  Widow  O'Callaghan's  Boys 

POETRY 

The  Ballad  Book      .     .     .     . 

The  Light  of  Asia    .      ,     .  .  . 

The  Light  of  the  World       .     . 

Sohrab  and  Rustum 

Golden  Poems 


7  to  12 


7  to  12 

7  to  12 
7  to  12  O 

7  to  12 
6  to  10 
6  to  10  O 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 

6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12    ^ 


Allingham 

Arnold 

Arnold 

Arnold 

Browne  (Ed.) 

Browning,  E.  B.  Poems 

Browning,  Robt.  Poems 

Browning,  Robt  Narrative  Poems 

2a 


6  to  12 
9  to  12 
9  to  12 

7  to  12  <^ 
5  to  12 

7  to  12 
0tol2 
6tol2 


O 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GBADES 

Bryant      .     .     Poems 8  to  12 

Burns  .     .     .     Selected  Poems 8  to  12 

Byron .     .     .     The  Prisoner  of  Chillon,   and 

Childe  Harold's  PUgrimage    .  9  to  12 

Cary    .     .     .     Poems 6  to  12 

Chaucer    .     .     Prologue,  and  Knight's  Tale  9  to  12 

Child's  Treasury  of  Lyrics  .     .           ....  5  to   8 

Cody  (Ed.)     .     The  Great  English  Poets'    .     .  6  to  12 
Coleridge  .          Rime   of    the   Ancient    Mari- 
ner    8  to  12 

Dante  .  Divine  Comedy    (Longfellow's 

Translation) 9  to  12 

Emerson  .          Poems 8  to  12 

Emerson  (Ed.)    Parnassus  (Selections)    .     .  6  to  12 

Field    .     .     .     Lullaby  Land 4  to   6 

Gayley  and 

Flaherty  (Eds.)Poetry  of  the  People       .     .     .  6  to  12 
^[}Goethe                Faust     (Trans,     by     Bayard 

Taylor) 9  to  12 

OGoldsmith      .     The    Deserted    Village,     The 

Traveller,  etc 9  to  12 

^   Gray   .           .     El^^y   in  a  Country   Church- 
yard      8  to  12 

Holland    .     .     Kathrina 8  to  12 

Holmes               Poems 8  to  12 

Homer      .      .     The  Odyssey  (Bryant's  Trans.)  8  to  12 

Homer      .     .     The  Iliad  (Bryant's  Trans.)      .  8  to  12 

Ingelow     .     .     Poems 7  to  12 

Ingoldsby .          Ingoldsby  Legends    .     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Lanier                Poems 7  to  12 

Longfellow         Poems 3  to  12 

Longfellow  (Ed.)  Poems  of  Places  (Selections)     .  5  to  12 

Lowell      .     .     Poems 5  to  12 

242 


APPENDIX 

OBADES 

Macaulay           Lays  of  Ancient  Rome   .           .  6  to  12 

Meredith  .     .     Lucile 8  to  12 

Milton      .     .     Paradise  Lost 8  to  12 

Milton      .     .     Shorter  Poems 8  to  12 

Palgrave  (Ed.)    Golden  Treasury  of  Songs  and 

Lyrics 8  to  12 

Patmore    .     .     The  Children's  Garland       .     .  6  to  12 

Poe      .     .     .     Selected  Poems 8  to  12 

Pope    .               Selected  Poems 8  to  12 

Schiller     .     .     Selected  Poems 9  to  12 

Scott    .     .     .     Poems 7  to  12 

Shakespeare  .     Complete  Works 6  to  12 

Shelley      .     .     Selected  Poems 9  to  12 

Spenser               Britomart  (From  Faery  Queen)  6  to  12 

Stevenson           A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses .     .  4  to   6 

Tennyson            Selected  Poems 9  to  12 

Virgil  .     .     .     The  .*:neid(Conington's  Trans.)  8  to  12 

Whittier    .     .     Poems 5  to  12 

Whittier  (Ed.)    Child  Life  in  Poetry    (Selec- 
tions)         3  to  12 

Whittier  (Ed.)    Songs  of  Three  Centuries     .     .  6  to  12 
Wiggin  and 

Smith  (Eds.)  The  Posy  Ring  (Selections)       .  3  to   8 

Wordsworth  .     Poems 8  to  12 

ESSAYS.  LETTERS.  AND   ADDRESSES 

Addison          .     Sir  Roger  de  Coverley  Papers   .  9  to  12 

Burke  .                Speech  on  Conciliation    .  8  to  12 

Carlyle                Heroes  and  Hero- Worship  .  9  to  12 

Carlyle                Sartor  Resartus 9  to  12 

Chesterfield    .     Letters  (Selected)      ....  8  to  12 

Clark  .     .     .     Self-Culture 8  to  12 

Crowest    .     .     The  Story  of  the  Art  of  Music     .  8  to  12 

Cuitia       .     .    Prue  and  I 9  to  12 

213 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GRADES 

Emerson 

Essays  (1st  and  2d  series)    .     , 

9  to  12 

Emerson 

Representative  Men 

9  to  12 

Everett 

.     .     Ethics  for  Young  People      .     . 

8  to  12 

Harrison 

.     .     The  Choice  of  Books      .     .     . 

7  to  12 

Holmes 

.     The  Autocrat  of  the  Breakfast 

Table 

8  to  12 

Holmes 

.     The  Professor  at  the  Breakfast 

Table 

8  to  12 

Holmes 

.     The  Poet  at  the  Breakfast  Table 

8  to  12 

Irving 

.     The  Sketch  Book      .     .     .     . 

7  to  12 

Lamb  , 

.     Essays  of  Elia 

9  to  12 

Lang   . 

.     Old  Friends 

8  to  12 

Lincoln 

.     Addresses  and  Letters    . 

7  to  12 

Lowell 

.     Among  my  Books      .... 

8  to  12 

Lowell 

.     Fireside  Travels 

8  to  12 

Lowell 

.     My  Study  Windows  (  2  vols.) 

8  to  12 

Lowell 

.     Letters 

8  to  12 

Lubbock 

.     Pleasures  of  Life       .... 

8  to  12 

Mabie 

.     Books  and  Culture    .... 

8  to  12 

Macaulay 

Essay  on  Warren  Hastings  . 

8  to  12 

Marcus  Au 

irelius  Thoughts 

8  to  12 

Mathews 

.     Getting  On  in  the  World     .     . 

8  to  12 

Mitchell 

.     About  Old  Story-Tellers      .      . 

8  to  12 

Mitchell 

.     Reveries  of  a  Bachelor   . 

9  to  12 

MitcheU 

.     Dream  Life 

9  to  12 

Munger 

,     On  the  Threshold     .     .     .     . 

8  to  12 

Porter 

.     Books  and  Reading  .... 

8  to  12 

Roosevelt 

.     American  Ideals 

8  to  12 

Ruskin 

.     Sesame  and  Lilies      .... 

8  to  12 

Raskin 

.     Athena:  The  Queen  of  the  Air 

8  to  12 

Ruskin 

.     Crown  of  Wild  Olive      .     .     . 

8  to  12 

Ruskin 

.     Ethics  of  the  Dust     .     .     .     . 

8  to  12 

Smiles 

.     Self-Hdp 

214 

8tol2 

APPENDIX 

ORADEB 

Smiles 

.     .     Thrift 

8  to  12 

Spalding 

.     .     Education  and  the  Higher  Life 

8  to  12 

Starrett 

Letters  to  a  Daughter 

8  to  12 

Van  Dyke,  H.     The  Blue  Flower       .      .      .      . 

8  to  12 

Van  Dyke 

,  J.  C.  Nature  for  its  Own  Sake     .     . 

9  to  12 

Wagner 

.     .     The  Simple  Life 

9  to  12 

Warner 

Backlog  Studies 

9  to  12 

Washingtc 

n    .     Rules  of  Conduct;  Letters  and 

Addresses 

8  to  12 

Webster 

.     .     Bunker   Hill   Address;    Adams 

and  Jefferson 

8  to  12 

Wilson 

.     .     Making  the  Most  of  Ourselves  . 

BIOGRAPHY  AND  HISTORY 
ANCIENT 

8  to  12 

Church 

.     .     Pictures  from  Greek  Life  and 

Story 

6  to  12 

Church 

Stories  from  Herodotus  . 

6  to  12 

Church 

Pictures  from  Roman  Life  and 

Story 

6  to  12 

Church 

.     The  Story  of  Carthage   .     .     . 

6  to  12 

Church 

.     Stories  from  Livy      .... 

6  to  12 

Church 

.     Roman  Life  in  the  Days  of  Cicero 

6  to  12 

Church 

.     Two  Thousand  Years  Ago  . 

6  to  12 

Froude 

.     Life  of  Caesar 

8  to  12 

Gilman 

.     The  Story  of  Rome  .... 

7  to  12 

Guerber 

.     Story  of  the  Chosen  People 

5  to   8. O 

Hosmer 

.     The  Story  of  the  Jews    . 

7  to  12 

Mahaffy 

.     The  Story  of  Alexander's  Empire 

8  to  12 

Rawlinson 

The  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt 

8  to  12 

Shumway 

.     A  Day  in  Ancient  Rome 

7  to  12 

Smith  . 

.     Carthage  and  the  Carthaginians 

8  to  12 

White. 

.     Boys'  and  Girls'  Plutarch    .     . 
245 

7  to  12   0 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


MKDI^VAL  AKD  MODEBN  EUROPEAN 

GRADES 

Ainsworth           THbe  Tower  of  London   .     .     .  7  to  12 

Atherton  ,     .     Marco  Polo 6  to  12 

Blaisdell   .     .     Stories  from  English  History     .  5  to   8 

Boswell               Life  of  Johnson 8  to  12 

Boyesen    .          Story  of  Norway 8  to  12 

Carlyle      .     .     The  French  Revolution  .     .     .  9  to  12 

Carlyle     .     .     Life  of  Cromwell       .     .     .     .  9  to  12 

Carpenter            Joan  of  Arc    .     .     .     .  5  to   8 

Church               Stories  from  English  History     .  7  to  12 

Church     .     .     With  the  King  at  Oxford     .     .  7  to  12 

Clemens    .          The  Prince  and  the  Pauper  .     .  5  to   8 

Dickens    .     .     A  Child's  History  of  England   .  6  to  10 

Gilman     .     .     The  Story  of  the  Saracens   .  8  to  12 

Gould       .     .     The  Story  of  Germany  .     .     .  8  to  12 
Green       .     .     Short  History  of  the  English 

People 8  to  12 

Griffis       .     .     Brave  Little  Holland  and  What 

She  Taught  Us      ....  8  to  12 
Griflis       .     ,     Young  People's  History  of  Hol- 
land         7  to  10 

Guizot      .     .     Life  of  Oliver  Cromwell.     .     .  9  to  12 

Hale    .     .     .     The  Story  of  Spain   ....  8  to  12 

Headley    .     .     Napoleon  and  his  Marshals  .     .  8  to  12 

Henning   .     .     Maid  of  Orleans  (Upton's  Trans.)  6  to   8 

Kirkland  .     .     Short  History  of  France       .     .  7  to' 12 

Kjihn  .     .     .     Barbarossa  (Upton's  Trans.)  .  6  to    8 

Lanier.     .     .     The  Boy's  Froissart  .      .  7  to  12 

Lockhart  .     .     Life  of  Scott 8  to  12 

Markham           Heroes  of  Chivalry    .     .  7  to  10 

Motley      .     .     Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic      .  8  to  12 

Mulock-Craik     Goethe  and  Schiller  .     .     .     .  9  to  12 

Oliphant  .      .     Royal  Edinburgh      .     .     .     .  9  tol2 

246 


APPENDIX 

OBADE8 

Olipbant 
Olipbant 

Jeanne  d'Arc 

9  to  12 

.  .     Makers  of  Florence  .     . 

9  to  12 

Olipbant 

Makers  of  Venice 

9  to  12 

Olipbant 

Makers  of  Modem  Rome 

9  to  12 

Pitman 

.     Stories  of  Old  France 

6  to  10  t> 

Prescott 

Ferdinand  and  Isabella  . 

8  to  12 

Scbiller 

.     The  Thirty  Years'  War 

9  to  12 

Scott    . 

Tales  of  a  Grandfather  . 

6  to  10  O 

Soutbey 
Strickland 

Life  of  Nelson 

6  to  12 

Life  of  Queen  Elizabeth 

6  to  12 

Tappan 
Tappan 

England's  Story  . 

6  to  12 

.     In  the  Days  of  Alfred  the  Great 

6  to  12  D 

Tappan 

In  the  Days  of  William  the  Con- 

queror    

6  to  12  O 

Tappan 

In  the  Days  of  Queen  Elizabeth 

6  to  12 

Tappan 

In  the  Days  of  Queen  Victoria 

6  to  12 

Thackeray 

The  Four  Georges     .... 

8  to  12 

Temple 

.     England's  History  as  Pictured 

by  Famous  Painters    .     .     . 

6  to  12 

Yonge 

.     Christians  and  Moors  of  Spain 

7  to  12 

Yonge 

.     Young  Folks'  History  of  Gei^ 

many 

7  to  12 

Yonge 

.    Young  Folks'  History  of  France 

AMEBICAN 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

Columbus 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

.     DeSoto 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

.     La  Salle 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

Miles  Standish 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

.     Peter  Stuyvesant       .... 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

Daniel  Boone 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

.     David  Crockett 

7  to  12 

Abbott 

Kit  Carson 

7  to  12 

247 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GBADE8 

Adams                Christopher  Columbus    .  7  to  12 
O  Baldwin    .          Discovery   of  the  Old  North- 
west         5  to  10 

0  Baldwin    .     .     Conquest  of  the  Old  Northwest  5  to  10 

O  Baldwin    .  Four  Great  Americans   .  .  5  to   8 

Baldwin    .  Abraham  Lincoln  .  5  to   8 

Beebe  .  Four  American  Naval  Heroes    .  6  to   8 

Bigelow    .     .     William  Cullen  Bryant    .     .     .  8  to  12 
Blaisdell   .     .     Short   Stories  from  American 

History 4  to   8 

Blaisdell-Ball .    Hero  Stories   from   American 

History 5  to   8 

Brooks,  E.  S.      Century  Book  for  Young  Ameri- 
cans    6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.  S.      Century  Book  of  Famous  Ameri- 
cans         6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.  S.      Century  Book  of  the  American 

Colonies 6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.  S.      Century  Book  of  the  American 

Revolution 6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.S.      Stories  of  the  Old  Bay  State     .  6  to  10 
Brooks,  E.S.      The  True  Stwy  of  Abraham 

Lincoln 6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.  S.      The  True  Story  of  La  Fayette     .  6  to  10 

Brooks,  E.  S.      The  True  Story  of  U.  S.  Grant  6  to  10 

Brooks,  Noah     First  Across  the  Continent  .  6  to  10 

Burton  Four  American  Patriots  5  to    8 

Burton  The  Story  of  La  Fayette  .  5  to    8 

Butterworth   .     The  Boyhood  of  Lincoln  .  5  to   8 

Butterworth   .     Story  of  Magellan  .      .  5  to    8 

Catherwood    .     Heroes  of  the  Middle  West  7  to  12 

Catherwood    .     The  Story  of  Tonty  ....  7  to  12 

Cody  .  Four  American  Poets     .     .     .  5  to   8 

218 


APPENDIX 

QBADES 

Coffin  . 

.     Old  Times  in  the  Colonies  . 

6  to  10 

Coffin  . 

.     The  Boys  of '76  .... 

6  to  10  d 

Coffin. 

.     Building  the  Nation  .     .     . 

6  to  10 

Coffin  . 

.     Drum  Beat  of  the  Nation    . 

6  to  10 

Coffin. 

.     Marching  to  Victory       .      . 

6  to  10 

Coffin. 

.     Redeeming  the  Republic 

6  to  10 

Coffin. 

.     Freedom  Triumphant     .     . 

6  to  10 

Coffin. 

.     The  Boys  of '61  .... 

6  to  10 

Cooke . 

.     Stories  of  the  Old  Dominion 

6  to  10 

Drake 

.     Making  of  New  England     . 

7  to  10 

Drake 

Making  of  the  Great  West  . 

7  to  10 

Drake 

.     Making  of  Virginia    . 

7  to  10 

Drake 

.     Making  of  the  Ohio  Valley  States    7  to  10 

Dye     .     . 

.     The  Conquest:  The  True  Story 

of  Lewis  and  Clark 

7  to  12 

Earle  . 

.     Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

7  to  12  4D 

Earle  . 

.     Colonial  Days  in  Old  New  York    7  to  12 

Earle  . 

.     Stage  Coach  and  Tavern  Days 

7  to  12 

Eggleston 

.     Stories  of  Great  Americans  for 

Little  Americans    .     .     . 

3to    6 

Eggleston 

.     .     Stories  of  American  Life  and 

Adventure 

4  to   8 

Fiske  . 

.     Discovery  of  America 

8  to  12 

Fiske  . 

.     Old  Virginia  and  Her  Neighbors    8  to  12 

Fiske  . 

The  War  of  Independence  . 

8  to  12 

Fiske  . 

.     Critical    Period    in   American 

History 

8  to  12 

Franklin 

.   .     Autobiography     .... 

.     7  to  12 

Griffis 

.     The  Romance  of  American  Col- 

onization      

7  to  12 

Hart    . 

.     .     Romance  of  the  Civil  War  . 

7  to  12 

Hart    . 

Source  Readers  in  American  His- 

tory  (4  vols.) 
219 


7  to  12 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


OBADE8 

Hart-Chapman  How  Our  Grandfathers  Lived  .  7  to  12 
Hawthorne  Grandfather's  Chair  6  to  10 
Headley  .  .  Washington  and  His  Generals  .  8  to  12 
Higginson.  Henry  W.  Longfellow  .  9  to  12 
Higginson .  History  of  the  United  States  7  to  12 
Holmes  .  .  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  .  .  .  8  to  12 
Hosmer  A  Short  History  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley 8  to  12 

Howells               Stories  of  Ohio 7  to  12 

Irving  Knickerbocker's  History  of  New 

York 8  to  12 

Irving                 Life  of  Columbus           .     .  8  to  12 

Irving-Fiske  .     Washington  and  His  Coimtry   .  7  to  12 

Jewett       .     .     Story  of  New  England    .     .     .  7  to  12 
Kieffer                Recollections    of   a    Drummer 

Boy 7  to  12 

McMurry  .     .     Pioneer  Stories  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley 7  to  10 

Montgomery  .     Beginner's  American  History    .  5  to   8 

Moore-Tiffany    Pilgrims  and  Puritans                .  6  to    8 

Parkman  .          California  and  Oregon  Trail  7  to  12 

Parkman  .     .     Conspiracy  of  Pontiac  .     .     .  8  tol2 
Parkman  .          Count     Frontenac    and    New 

France 8  to  12 

Parkman  .     .     Half  Century  of  Conflict      .     .  8  to  12 

Parkman  .     .     Jesuits  in  North  America     .     .  8  to  12 
Parkman  .          La  Salle  and  the  Discovery  of 

the  Great  Wesjt     .     .     .     .  8  to  12 
Parkman  .          Pioneers  of  France  in  the  New 

World 8  to  12 

Parkman  .     .     Montcalm  and  Wolfe     .     .     .  8  to  12 
Parkman  .     .     The  Old  Regime  in  Canada 

under  Louis  XIV  .     .     .     .  8  to  12 
250 


APPENDIX 


Parrish 
Perry 
Pratt  . 
Pratt  . 
Pratt  . 
Prescott 
Prescott 


Roosevelt 

Scudder 

Seawell 

Seawell 

Seawell 

Seawell 

Seawell 

Seelye 

Sol^  . 

Soley  . 
Sparks 

Stockton 

Thompson 

Thwaites 

Tomlinson 

Towle 
Towle 
Towle 
Towle 


OBADES 

Historic  Illinois 7  to  12 

Four  American  Pioneers  .  5  to  8 
American  History  Stories  .  .  4  to  6 
Stories  of  Colonial  Children  4  to  6 
Stories  of  Massachusetts  .  4  to  6 
Conquest  of  Mexico  .  .  8  to  12 
Conquest  of  Peru  .  8  to  12 
Roosevelt-Lodge  Hero  Tales  from  American  His- 
tory    7  to  12 

Episodes  from  the  Winning  of  the 

West 7  to  12 

George  Washington  .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Decatur  and  Somers  .     .      .  7  to  12 

Twelve  Naval  Captains  .     .     .  7  to  12 

Midshipman  Paulding    .     .  7  to  12 

Little  Jarvis 7  to  12 

Paul  Jones 7  to  12 

Story  of  Colimibus    .     .     .  7  to  10 
The  Boys  of  1812  and  Other 

Naval  Heroes 7  to  10 

The  Sailor  Boys  of '61    .     .     .  7  to  10 
The  Expansion  of  the  American 

People 8  to  12 

Stories  of  New  Jersey     .     .  7  to  12 

Stories  of  Indiana  7  to  12 
How  George  Rogers  Clark  Won 

the  Northwest 7  to  12 

A  Short  History  of  the  Revolu- 
tion       7  to  12 

Magellan 7  to  12 

Pizarro 7  to  12- 

Raleigh 7  to  12 

Sir  ^ancis  Drake     .     .     .     .  7  to  1£ 

251 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GBAOnS 

Towle       .  .  Vasco  da  Gama 7  to  12 

Warner  Washington  Irving  .  8  to  12 

Winterbum  .  The  Spanish  in  the  Southwest  .  7  to  12 

Woodberry  .  Nathaniel  Hawthorne  .  8  to  12 


C>  Andrews 

b  Bolton. 

<S>  Bolton. 
Bolton. 
Brooks,  E 
Brooks,  E 
Brooks,  E 

O  Creasy 

Hale  . 

Hale  . 

Hale  . 

OHale  . 

Hale  . 

OLang  . 

Lang  . 

Parton 

DRiis     • 
OWashingt< 
OYonge 
Yonge 


OKNERAIi  AND  MISCELLANEOUB 

Ten  Boys  Who  Lived  on  the 
Road  from  Long  Ago  to  Now 
.     Poor  Boys  Who  Became  Famous 
.     Girls  Who  Became  Famous 
.     Famous  Leaders  Among  Men 
S.      Chivalric  Days     .... 
S.      Historic  Boys       .... 
S.      Historic  Girb       .... 
Fifteen  Decisive  Battles  of  the 

World 

.     Stories  of  Adventure 
.     Stories  of  Discovery  . 
.     Stories  of  Invention  , 
.     Stories  of  the  Sea 
.     Stories  of  War     .... 
.     The  True  Story  Book     .     . 
.     The  Red  True  Story  Book  . 
.     Captains  of  Industry 
.     The  Making  of  an  American 
on,B.T.Up  From  Slavery 

A  Book  of  Golden  Deeds     . 
A  Book  of  Worthies  . 


6to  8 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 

6  to  12 

7  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 
6to   8 

6  to   8 

7  to  12 

8  to  12 
8  to  12 
6  to  12 
6  to  12 


GEOGRAPHY  AND  TRAVEL 

Allen  .     .     .    Paris 8  to  12 

O  Andrews  .     .     Seven  Little  Sisters   .     .     .     .     4  to   8 
^  Andrews  .     .     Each  and  All 4  to   8 

262 


APPENDIX 


A3rrton 

Bacon 

Ballou 

Bayliss 

Besant 

Boyesen 

Brassey 

Brooks 

Brooks 

Brooks 

Butterworth 

Butterworth 

Butterworth 

Butterworth 
Butterworth 
Butterworth 
Butterworth 
Butterworth 

Carpenter 


Clemens    . 
Cook,  Capt. 
Crawford  . 
Curtis 
Dana  . 
Darwin 

Deming 


GRADES 

Child  Life  in  Japan  .     .     .     .  6  to   8 

Japanese  Girls  and  Women      .  8  to  12 

Footprints  of  Travel       .     .     .  7  to  12 

In  Brook  and  Bayou      .     .     .  8  to  12 

London 9  to  12 

Boyhood  in  Norway       .     .     .  7  to  12 

Voyage  in  the  Sunbeam  .     .     .  7  to  12 

Story  of  the  Indian    .     .     .     .  7  to  10 

The  Boy  Emigrants  .     .     .     .  6  to  10 

The  Boy  Settlers       .     .     .     .  6  to  10 
Zig-zag  Journeys  in  the  British . 

Isles 7  to  12 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  the  Great 

Northwest 7  to  12    O 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  Acadia  and 

New  France 7  to  12 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  Classic  Lands  7  to  12 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  India   .  7  to  12   O 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  Europe  7  to  12 

Zig-zag  Journeys  in  the  Levant  7  to  12 
Zig-zag   Journeys   around    the 

World 7  to  12 

Geographical  Readers  (5  vols.): 

North  America,  South  Ameri- 
ca, Europe,Asia,  and  Australia  5  to   8  <^ 
Innocents  Abroad  7  to  12  O 
Three  Voyages  around  the  World  7  to  12 
Ave  Roma  Immortalis    .  9  to  12 
Nile  Notes  of  a  Howadji      .     .  9  to  12 
Two  Years  before  the  Mast      .  7  to  12  <^ 
What  Mr.  Darwin  Saw  in  His 

Voyage  round  the  World  .     .  7  to  12 

Indian  Child  Life     .     .     .     .  2to   4 

263 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Du  Chafllu 
Du  Chaillu 
Du  Chaillu 
Du  Chaillu 
Du  Chaillu 
^Du  Chaillu 
Eastman 
Field   . 
Frere  . 
Frye    , 
Griffis 
Grinnell 
Hale    . 


Hale  . 
Hale  . 
Hale    . 

Hay     . 
Headland 
-OHeadland 
Holden 
Hough 
Howells 
Howells 
Irving 
IngersoU 
Irving 
Jackson 
James 
Jenks  . 


OBADE8 

TheCountry  of  the  Dwarfs.     .  5  to  12 

Stories  of  the  Gorilla  Coimtry  .  5  to  12 

Lost  in  the  Jungle     .  5  to  12 

My  Apingi  Kingdom      .     .     ,  5  to  12 

Under  the  Equator    .     .     .     .  5  to  12 

The  Land  of  the  Long  Night    .  5  to  12 

An  Indian  Boyhood  .     .     .  7  to  12 

Rome 8  to  12 

Old  Deccan  Days  .  .  .  .  7  to  12 
Brooks  and  Brook  Basins  .  .  3  to  6 
In  the  Mikado's  Service  .  ,  8  to  12 
The  Story  of  the  Indian  .  .  7  to  12 
A  Family  Flight  through  France, 
Germany,  Norway,  and  Swit- 
zerland    7  to  12 

A  Family  Flight  through  Mexico  7  to  1 2 

A  Family  Flight  through  Spain  7  to  12 
A  Family  Flight  through  Egypt 

and  Syria 7  to  12 

Castilian  Days 9  to  12 

Chinese  Boy  and  Girl     .     .     ,  5  to   8 

Our  Little  Chinese  Cousin  .      .  4  to    8 

Along  the  Florida  Reef  .      .      .  7  to  12 

The  Story  of  the  Cowboy    .     .  7  to  12 

Tuscan  Cities 8  to  12 

Venetian  Life 8  to  12 

Bonneville 8  to  12 

Knocking  'round  the  Rockies    .  7  to  12 

Tales  of  a  Traveller  ....  7  to  12 

Bits  of  Travels 7  to  12 

A  Little  Tour  in  France.     .     .  8  to  12 
The  Childhood  of  Ji-Shib,  the 

Ojibway 5  to   8 

251 


APPENDIX 


Jewett 

Kennan    .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     .     . 

Knox  .     . 

Krout .     .     . 

Krout .     .     . 

Lee,  Yan  Phou 

Livingstone    . 

Longfellow 

Lummis    . 

Lyman      .     . 

Martineau 

Meriwether 

Miller       .     . 

MiUet .     .     . 

Nansen     .     . 

Ober  .     .     . 

OBAOES 

Land  of  the  Pointed  Fir.     .     .  7  to  12  O 

Tent  Life  in  Siberia  .      .      .     .  7  to  12  o 

Travels  of  Marco  Polo   .      .      .  5  to  12  O 

Boy  Travellers  in  Australasia    .  7  to  12  c) 
Boy  Travellers  in  Great  Britain 

and  Ireland 7  to  12^ 

Boy     Travellers    in    Southern 

Europe 7  to  12  ^ 

Boy  Travellers  in  Egypt  and  the 

Holy  Land 7  to  12 

Boy     Travellers     in     Central 

Europe 7  to  12  ^ 

Boy    Travellers    in    Northern 

Europe 7  to  12    ^ 

Boy  Travellers  in  Japan  and 

China 7  to  12 

Boy  Travellers  in  Mexico    .  7  to  12  Q 
Boy  Travellers  in  South  Ameri- 
ca       7  to  12  ^ 

Two  Giris  in  China  .     .     .     .  4  to   8  O 
Alice's  Visit  to  the  Hawaiian 

Islands 4  to   8  <^ 

When  I  was  a  Boy  in  China     .  5  to   8  C) 

Last  Journals 7  to  12 

Outre  Mer 7  to  12 

The  Enchanted  Burro    ...  7  to  12 

Hawaiian  Yesterdays  .  7  to  12 

Feats  on  the  Fiord    .      .      .      .  7  to  12 

A  Tramp  Trip  through  Europe  7  to  12 

Child  Life  in  Japan  .     .     .     .  5  to   8 

The  Danube 8  to  12 

Farthest  North 7  to  12 

The  Silver  City 6  to  12 

255 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


(9  Peary  . 
{)  Peary  . 

Reid    . 

Reid    . 

Reid    . 

Roberts 

Sanford 

Schwatka 
o  Schwatka 

Scidmore 
^Scudder 

Scudder 

Scudder 

Scudder 
'^  Stanley 
O  Stanley 

Starr   . 

Starr  . 
b  Stevens 
OStevenson 

Stevenson 
^Stockton 

Stockton 

Taylor 

Taylor 

Taylor 

Thompson 

Thwaites  . 
Thwaites  . 


GRADES 

Children  of  the  Arctic               .  6  to   8 

A  Snow  Baby 5  to   8 

Boy  Hunters  (North  America)  .  6  to  12 
Bush  Boys  (South  Africa)  .  .  6  to  12 
Young  Voyageurs  (Canada)  6  to  12 
Around  the  Camp  Fire  .  .  6  to  12 
The  Wandering  Twins  (Labra- 
dor)         6  to  12 

Children  of  the  Cold.     .     .     .  6  to  8 
Land  of  the  Cave  and  Cliff 

Dwellers 6  to  12 

Jinrikisha  Days  in  Japan  7  to  12 
Docas,  the  Indian  Boy  of  Santa 

Clara 5  to   8 

Doings  of  the  Bodley  Family    .  7  to  10 

The  Bodleys  on  Wheels       .     .  7  to  10 

Mr.  Bodley  Abroad  .  7  to  10 

How  I  Found  Livingstone  .  7  to  12 

Through  the  Dark  Continent    .  7  to  12 

American  Indians     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Strange  Peoples 7  to  12 

Around  the  World  on  a  Bicycle  7  to  12 

Across  the  Plains      ,    ~.     .     .  7  to  12 

An  Inland  Voyage     .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Personally  Conducted     .      .     .  7  to  12 

Jolly  Fellowship 6  to  10 

Boys  of  Other  Countries      .     .  6  to  10 

By- Ways  of  Europe  .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Views  Afoot 7  to  12 

Gold   Seeking  on   the  Dalton 

Trail 7  to  12 

Down  Historic  Water  Ways  7  to  12 

On  the  Storied  Ohio       .     .     .  7  to  12 

256 


APPENDIX 


Wade  . 
Wade  . 
Wade  . 
Wade  . 
Warner 
Warner 
Warner 
Wiggin 

Wiggin 

Wiggin 

Winter 

Yonge 

Young 

Young 

Young 


Youth's  Com- 
panion . 

Youth's  Com' 
panion  . 

Youth's  Com' 
panion  . 

Youth's  Com' 
panion  . 

Youth's  Com' 
panion  . 


Abbott      .     . 
Aiken  and  Bar- 

bauld     . 
Allen  .     .     . 


Our  Ijittle  Cuban  Cousin     . 

Our  Little  Japanese  Cousin 

Our  Little  Norwegian  Cousin   . 

Our  Little  Russian  Cousin  . 

In  the  Levant 

My  Winter  on  the  Nile  . 

Saunterings 

A  Cathedral  Courtship;  Penel- 
ope's English  Experiences 

Penelope's  Irish  Experiences     . 

Penelope's  Progress  (Scotland) 

Shakespeare's  England  . 

Little  Lucy's  Wonderful  Globe 

By  Canoe  and  Dog  Train    . 

My  Dogs  in  the  Northland 

Three  Boys  in  the  Wild  North 
Land     .... 


O 

o 


GRADES 
6tO     8   O 

6to  8  o 
6  to  8 
6to  8 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 


7  to  12  O 
7  to  12 

7  to  12 

8  to  12 
5to   8  O 
7  to  12 

7  to  12 

7  to  12 


The  Wide  World       . 
Northern  Europe 
Under  Sunny  Skies   . 
Toward  the  Rising  Sun 
Strange  Lands  Near  Home 

NATURE  AND  SCIENCE 
A  Boy  on  a  Farm     .     . 

Eyes  and  No  Eyes 
The  Story  of  the  Plants  . 

257 


.  5  to  12  O 

.  6  to  12   o 

.  5tol2   t> 

.  5  to  12    t^ 

.  6  to  12   O 

.  4to   8 

.  5  to   8 

.  6  to  10 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GRADES 

Allen    .     .     .     Flashlights  on  Nature    .     .     .  7  to  10 
Andrews   .          Stories    Mother    Nature    Told 

her  Children 3  to   7 

Stories  of  my  Four  Friends  3  to   6 

The  Story  of  the  Mine   .     .     .  8  to  12 

Starland    .     .  ' 8  to  12 

Animals  at  Home           .     .     .  8  to  12 
The  Story  of  the  Birds    .     .     .  8  to  12 
The  Story  of  the  Fishes       .     .  8  to  12 
Curious  Homes  and  their  Ten- 
ants         5  to   8 

Glimpses  at  the  Plant  World  5  to   8 

Bird  Neighbors 7  to  12 

Birds  that  Himt  and  are  Hunted  7  to  12 

How  to  Attract  the  Birds  7  to  12 

Nature's  Garden 7  to  12 

Rab  and  his  Friends      .     .     .  5  to    8 

Fairyland  of  Science       .     .     .  6  to   8 

Life  and  her  Children    .     .     .  6  to   8 

Through  Magic  Glasses       .     .  6  to   8 

Winners  in  Life's  Race  .     .     .  6  to   8 
Burkett,  Stevens, 

and  Hill          Agriculture  for  Beginners    .     .  6  to  12 

Birds  and  Bees 6  to  12 

Sharp  Eyes 6  to  12 

Squirrels  and  Other  Fur  Bearers  7  to  12 

Locusts  and  Wild  Honey  8  to  12 

Wake  Robin 8  to  12 

Winter  Sunshine 8  to  12 

Pepacton 8  to  12 

Fresh  Fields 8  to  12 

The  Story  without  an  End  .     .  7  to  12 

The  Story  of  the  Eclipses    .     .  8  to  12 

258 


Andrews 

Baldwin 

Ball     . 

BarUett 

Baskett 

Baskett 

Beard  . 

Bergen 
Blanchan 
Blanchan 
Blanchan 
Blanchan 
O  Brown 
Buckley 
Buckley 
Buckley 
Buckley 


Burroughs 

Burroughs 

Burroughs 

Burroughs 

Burroughs 

Burroughs 

Burroughs 

BiUToughs 

Carove 

Chambers 


APPENDIX 


ORADES 

Chambers  The  Story  of  the  Solar  System  8  to  12 

Chambers  .  The  Story  of  the  Stars    .      .      .  8  to  12 

Chapman  .  Birds  of  Eastern  North  America  7  to  12 

Clodd  .     .  .  The  Story  of  Primitive  Man     .  8  to  12 

Comstock  Manual  of  Insects     .  .     .  7  to  12 

Conn  .     .  .  The  Story  of  Germ  Life      .     .  8  to  12 

Conn  .     .  .  The  Story  of  the  Living  Machine  8  to  12 

Dana  .     .  .  How  to  Know  the  Wild  Flowers  7  to  12 

Dana  .  .  How  to  Know  the  Ferns  7  to  12 

Darwin  .  Origin  of  Species       .     .     .     .  9  to  12 

Darwin     .  .  Descent  of  Man 9  to  12 

De  la  Ram^  A  Dog  of  Flanders    .     .     .     ,  4  to  12  O 

Dickerson  Moths  and  Butterflies     .      .      .  5  to  12 

Dopp  .     .  .  The  Tree  Dwellers    .     .     .     .  3  to   6 

Drummond  .  The  Monkey  that  would  not  Kill  8  to  12 

Eddy  .  Friends  and  Helpers  4  to   8  O 

Ensign  Lady  Lee,  and  Other  Animal 

Stories 4  to    6 

Gatty  .     .  .  Parables  from  Nature     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Gibson      .  .  Eye  Spy 7  to  12 

Gibson      .  Sharp  Eyes 7  to  12 

Gould       .  .  Mother  Nature's  Children   .     .  3  to   6 

Grinnell    ,  .  Our  Feathered  Friends  .     .     ,  7  to  12    O 

Guyot       .  .  Earth  and  Man 9  to  12 

Hamerton  Chapters  on  Animals  .  7  to  12 

Hardy       .  .  Sea  Stories  for  Wonder  Eyes  3  to   6 

Harrington  About  the  Weather    .  .  8  to  12 

Herrick     .  Chapters  on  Plant  Life  .      .     .  8  to  12 

Herrick     .  .  The  Earth  in  Past  Ages       .     .  8  to  12 

Hodge       .  .  Nature  Study  and  liife  .  .  7  to  12 

Holden     .  .  The  Earth  and  Sky  .     .     .     .  8  to  12 

Holden     .  .  The  Family  of  the  Sun  .     .     .  8  to  12 

Holden      .  .  The  Sciences 5  to   8 

259 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


GBASBS 

Holland    .  .  The  Butterfly  Book  .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

HoUand    .  .  The  Moth  Book 7  to  12 

Howard    .  .  The  Insect  Book 7  to  12 

Ingersoll   .  .  The  Book  of  the  Ocean       .     .  7  to  12 

Ingersoll   .  .  Wild  Neighbors 7  to  12 

Jackson  .  Cat  Stories 6  to   8 

Jefferies    .  .  Sir  Bevis:  A  Tale  of  the  Fields  4  to  10 

DJohonnot  .  .  Friends  in  Feathers  and  Fiu*     ,  3  to   6 

Johonnot  .  .  Neighbors  with  Wings  and  Fins  4  to   6 

Jordan      .  .  Matka  and  Kotik      .     .     .     .  6  to  10 

Jordan      .  .  True  Tales  of  Birds  and  Beasts  7  to  12 

Jordan      .  .  Science  Sketches 8  to  12 

Kelly  .     .  .  Short  Stories  of  Shy  Neighbors  3  to   6 

Keyser      .  .  In  Birdland 5  to  12 

Keyser      .  .  Birds  of  the  Rockies       .     .     .  7  to  12 

Kingsley  .  Madam  How  and  Lady  Why    .  6  to   8 

Kingsley  .  .  Town  Geology 7  to  12 

^  Kipling     .  .  Jungle  Book 5  to   8 

\->  Kipling     .  .  Second  Jungle  Book .                .  5  to   8 

CKirby  .     .  .  Aunt  Martha's  Comer  Cupboard  5  to   8 

Lindsay    .  .  The  Story  of  Animal  Life    .  8  to  12 

Long  .     .  .  Beasts  of  the  Field    .     .     .     .  5  to  12 

Long  .     .  .  Fowls  of  the  Air 5  to  12 

Long  .     .  .  Following  the  Deer   .     .           .  5  to  12 

Long  .     .  .  School  of  the  Woods       .     .  5  to  12 

Long  ...  A  Little  Brother  to  the  Bear  5  to  12 

Long  .     .  .  Northern  Trails 5  to  12 

Lounsberry  .  A  Guide  to  the  Wild  Flowers    .  7  to  12 

Lounsberry  A  Guide  to  the  Trees  7  to  12 

Martin      .  .  The  Story  of  a  Piece  of  Coal     .  6  to  12 

Merriam  .  .  Birds  through  an  Opera  Glass  .  8  to  12 

Merriam   .  .  Birds  of  Village  and  Field    .     .  8  to  12 

MiUer       .  .  Bird  Ways 6  to  12 

260 


APPENDIX 


QBADES 

Miller  .     .  .  First  Book  of  Birds  ....  5  to  12 

Miller .     .  .  Second  Book  of  Birds     .     .     .  5  to  12 

Miller       .  .  Four-handed  Folk     ....  5  to  12 

Miller.     .  .  True  Bird  Stories      ....  4  to   8 

Morley      .  .     Insect  Folk 5  to   8 

Morl^     .  .  Butterflies  and  Bees .     .     .     .  5  to   8 

Morley      .  .     A  Song  of  Life 6  to   8 

Morley      .  .     Little  Mitchell 5  to   8 

Morley     .  .     Bee  People 5  to   8 

Morley      .  .  Grasshopper  Land    .     .     .     .  7  to  12 

Munro      .  .  The  Story  of  Electricity       .     .  8  to  12 

Noel    .     .  .  Buz:  The  Life  and  Adventures 

•     of  a  Honey  Bee  .     .     ,  5  to   8 

Patterson  .  .  The  Spinner  Family       .     .     .  5  to   8 

Pierson     .  .  Among  the  Meadow  People  5  to   8 

Pierson     ,  .  Among  the  Pond  People      .     .  5  to   8 

Pierson     .  .  Among  the  Night  People           .  5  to   8 

Proctor     .  .  The  Expanse  of  Heaven      .      .  8  to  12 

Roberts     .  .  The  Kindred  of  the  Wild     .     .  7  to  12 

Scudder    .  .  Frail  Children  of  the  Air      .      .  5  to  12 

Seeley  .     .  .  The  Story  of  the  Earth  .     .     .  8  to  12 

Seton  .     .  .  The  Biography  of  a  Grizzly  5  to  12 

Seton  .     .  .  Lives  of  the  Hunted       .     .     .  5  to  12  ^? 

Seton  ...  The  Trail  of  the  Sand  HiU  Stag  5  to  12  ^ 

Seton  .     .  .  Wild  Animals  I  have  Known  5  to  12 

Sewell       .  .     Black  Beauty 5  to  10^ 

Thoreau   .  .     Walden 9  to  12 

Thoreau   .  .  A  Week  on  the  Concord  and 

Merrimac  Rivers   .      .      .     .  9  to  12 

Thoreau   .  .  The  Maine  Woods    .     .     .     .  9  to  12 

Torr^      .  .     Everyday  Birds 6  to  12 

Tott^      .  Rambler's  Lease 8  to  12 

Trimmer  .  .  The  History  of  the  Robins  .     .  6  to  12 

261 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


T^ndall 

T^ndall 

Vincent 

Vincent 

Warner 

Weed  . 

Weed  . 

Wheelock 

White. 

Wilkinson 

Wright 


Forms  of  Water  . 
Floating  Matter  in  the  Air 
The  Animal  World   .     . 
The  Plant  World      .     . 
A-Hunting  of  the  Deer  . 
The  Insect  World     .     . 
Life  Histories  of  Americanlnsects 
Nestlings  of  Forest  and  Marsh 
Natural  History  of  Selborne 
The  Story  of  the  Cotton  Plant 
Citizen  Bird 


GBADES 

9  to  12 
9  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
8  to  12 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 
7  to  12 

7  to  12 

8  to  12 
6  to   8 


INDUSTRIES  AND  MANUAL  TRAINING 


<^3aker  . 
^  Baker  , 

Beaid. 

Beard  . 

Beard  . 

Beard  . 

Black  . 

Goss   . 

HiU  . 
OKirby  . 

Pearson 

Rocheleau 

Shinn  . 
St.  John    . 

St.  John    . 

Story  .     . 


Boys'  Book  of  Inventions  7  to  12 

Boys'  Second  Book  of  Inventions  7  to  12 

American  Boys'  Handy  Book    .  6  to  12 

American  Girls'  Handy  Book   .  6  to  12 

Outdoor  Handy  Book     .     .     .  6  to  12 

Jack  of  All  Trades    ....  6  to  12 

Captain  Kodak 7  to  12 

Bench  Work  in  Wood    .     .     .  8  to  12 
Fighting  a  Fire          .     .     .     .  7  to  12 
Aunt  Martha's  Corner  Cupboard  6  to  12 
Gutenberg;  or.  The  Art  of  Print- 
ing     7  to  12 

Great      American      Industries 

(3  vols.) 7  to  12 

The  Story  of  the  Mine   .     .     .  8  to  12 
How  Two  Boys  Made  their  Own 

Electrical  Apparatus  .  7  to  12 
Things    a   Boy   should   Know 

about  Electricity    .      .      .      .  7  to  12 

The  Story  of  Photography  .     .  8  to  12 

262 


APPENDIX 

GBAOES 

Waterhouse    . 

The  Story  of  the  Art  of  Building 

8  to  12 

White  .     .     . 

How  to  Make  Baskets    . 

7  to  12 

White .     .     . 

More  Baskets,  and  How  to  Make 

Them 

7  to  12 

Williams  .     . 

The  Romance  of  Modem  Inven- 

tions       

8  to  12  ^ 

Wyman     .     . 

The  Story  of  the  Railroad   .     . 

8  to  12 

Youth's  Com- 

panion .     . 

Industries  of  To-day.     .     . 

8  to  12     ci 

Youth's  Com- 

panion .     . 

Triiunphs  of  Science      .     .     . 
GOVERNMENT 

8  to  12    ^ 

Alton  .     .     . 

Among  the  Law  Makers      .     , 

7  to  10 

Austin      .     . 

Uncle  Sam's  Secrets  .... 

7  to  10 

Austin 

Uncle  Sam's  Soldiers 

7  to  10 

HUl     .     .     . 

Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens 

5  to  10 

Nordhoff  .     . 

Politics  for  Young  Americans   . 

8  to  12 

Roosevelt  and 

Others  .     . 

The  Ship  of  State     .     .     .     . 
ART 

6to  8 

Bate»<Juild   . 

Masters  in  Art  (5  vols.)  .     .     . 

8  to  12 

Binns  .     .     . 

Story  of  the  Potter    .... 

8  to  12 

Clement    . 

Painters,  Sculptors,  Architects, 

and  Engravers       .... 

9  to  12 

Clement  and 

Hutton .     . 

Artists  of  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 

tury and  their  Works. 

9  to  12 

Ilome-Scobey 

Stories  of  Great  Artists  . 

4to   6 

Hoyt   .     .     . 

The  World's  Painters  and  their 

Pictures 

8  to  12 

Huril  .     .     . 

Greek  Sculpture        .... 
263 

7  to  12 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


Hurll  . 

.     Tuscan  Sculpture      .... 

QRADES 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

Raphael 

8  to  12 

Hurll  . 

.      .     Michelangelo 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     Rembrandt 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     Jean  Fran9ois  Millet      .     .     . 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     .     Sir  Joshua  Reynolds       .     .     . 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     MuriUo 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

,     Titian 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     Landseer 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     Correggio 

8  to  12 

HurU  . 

.     Van  Dyck 

8  to  12 

Jameson 

.     Legends  of  the  Madonna     .     . 

8  to  12 

Mathew 

.     The  Story  of  Architecture 

8  to  12 

Ramee 

.     .     Child  of  Urbino  (Raphael)  .     . 

5  to    8 

Ruskin 

.     Mornings  in  Florence 

8  to  12 

Ruskin 

.     Stones  of  Venice 

8  to  12 

Singleton 

.     Great    Pictures    Described    by 

Great  Writers 

8  to  12 

Singleton 

.     Turrets,  Towers,  and  Temples  . 

8  to  12 

Van  Dyke, 

J.  C.  How  to  Judge  of  a  Pictiu-e  .     . 

8  to  12 

Van  Dyke, 

J.  C.  The  Meaning  of  Pictures 

9  to  12 

Wherry 
Williamsor 

.     Stories  of  the  Tuscan  Artists 
i,(Ed.)Great  Masters  in  Painting  and 
Sculpture  (a  number  of  vol- 

8 to  12 

umes)  

9  to  12 

BOOKS  FOR   TEACHERS 

Adler  .     . 

.     The  Moral  Instruction  of  Children. 

Arnold 

.     Reading:  How  to  Teach  It. 

0  Arnold 

.     Waymarks  for  Teachers. 

Babcock   . 

.     Bird  Day. 

Baldwin    . 

.     Fifty  Famous  Stories  Retold. 

Baldwin    . 

.     The  Book  Lover. 
264 

APPENDIX 


Beebe       .     .     First  School  Year. 
Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stories. 


Brigham   . 

Geographic  Influences  in  American  His- 

tory. 

Bryan .     .     . 

Practical  Basis  of  Teaching. 

Bryant 

How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children.    c» 

Bnlfinch    .      . 

The  Age  of  Fable. 

Bulfinch    .      . 

The  Age  of  Chivalry. 

Burrage    .     . 

Teaching  of  History  and  Civics. 

CaU     .     .     . 

Power  through  Repose. 

Chubb.     .     . 

Teaching  of  English. 

Clark  .     .     . 

How  to  Teach  Reading. 

Cody  (Ed.)     . 

A  Selection  from  the  Great  English  Poets, 

Comenius 

The  School  of  Infancy. 

Compayre 

Lectures  on  Pedagogy. 

Cramer 

Notes  to  Students  on  the  Art  of  Study. 

Cumnock 

School  Speaker. 

Du  Bois    .     . 

The  Point  of  Contact  in  Teaching. 

Du  Bois    . 

Reckonings  from  Little  Hands. 

De  Garmo 

Herbart  and  Herbartians. 

Dutton      .     . 

Social  Phases  of  Education  in  the  School 

and  in  the  Home. 

Dye     .     .     . 

The  Story-Teller's  Art 

EUot    .     .     . 

Poetry  for  Children. 

Emerson  . 

Essays. 

Field,  Eugene 

With  Trumpet  and  Drum. 

Field,  Eugene 

Love  Songs  of  Childhood. 

Froebel 

The  Education  of  Man. 

Gayley 

Classic  Myths  in  English  Literature.    <^ 

Gillan  .     .     . 

Riffle  Creek  Papers. 

Hailmann 

History  of  Pedagogy. 

Harrison   . 

Study  of  Child  Nature. 

Hemenway     . 

How  to  Make  School  Gardens. 

Henderson 

Eklucation  and  the  Larger  Life. 

2R5 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


Hinsdale  . 

Horace  Mann. 

Hodge      .     . 

Nature  Study  and  Life. 

Howe  .     .     , 

.     Physical  Nature  of  the  Child 

HoweUs    .     . 

A  Boy's  Town. 

Hyde  .     . 

Speaker  and  Reader. 

James .     . 

.    Talks  to  Teachers,  on  Psychology. 

Jordan 

.     Science  Sketches. 

KeUy  .     . 

Little  Citizens. 

Kenyon     . 

.     First  Years  in  Handicraft 

Kern  .     . 

.     Among  Country  Schools. 

Knisi  .     . 

.     Life  of  Pestalozzi. 

Tjanier.     . 

.     The  Boy's  King  Arthur. 

Locke 

.     Thoughts  on  Education. 

Lowell 

.     Books  and  Libraries. 

McMurry. 

.     The  Method  of  the  Recitation. 

McMuny . 

.     Special  Method  in  Natural  Science. 

McMurry . 

Special  Method  in  Primary  Reading. 

McMurry. 

.     Special  Method  in  the  English  Classics. 

Mabie 

.     Books  and  Culture. 

OMabie 

.     Norse  Stories  Retold  from  the  Eddas. 

Malleson  . 

.     Early  Training  of  Children. 

^Martin 

.     Emmy  Lou:  Her  Book  and  Heart. 

'  Menefee   . 

.     Child  Stories  from  the  Masters. 

Moulton   . 

.     Bibhcal  Masterpieces. 

Oppenheim 

.     Development  of  the  Child. 

Page    .     . 

.     Theory  and  Practice. 

Parker.     . 

How  to  Study  Geography. 

Perdue  and  Gris- 

wold 

.     Language   through   Nature,   Literatiu*, 

and  Art. 

Poulsson  . 

.     In  the  Child's  World. 

Quick  .     . 

.     Educational  Reformers. 

Rabb  .     . 

.     National  Epics. 

Rice    .     . 

.     History  and  Literatiu%. 

266 

APPENDIX 

Rotisseau  .     . 

Emile. 

O  Ruskin      .     . 

Sesame  and  Lilies. 

Scudder    .     . 

Literature  in  Schools. 

Scudder    .     . 

Childhood  in  Literature  and  Art 

Shairp       .     , 

Poetic  Literpretation  of  Nature. 

Sherman   . 

Little  Folks'  Lyrics. 

Skinner     .     . 

Readings  in  Folk-Lore. 

Skinner     .     . 

The  Schoolmaster  in  Literature. 

Skinner     .     . 

The  Schoolmaster  in  Comedy  and  Satire. 

Q  Smith  .     ,     . 

Evolution  of  Dodd. 

Spalding  . 

Education  and  the  Higher  Life. 

Spencer    .     . 

Education. 

Sully    .     .     . 

Studies  of  Childhood. 

Thatcher  .     . 

The  Listening  Child. 

Thompson 

Day  Dreams  of  a  Schoolmaster. 

Tompkins 

Philosophy  of  Teaching. 

Tompkins 

Philosophy  of  School  Management. 

Tracy  .     .     . 

Psychology  of  Childhood. 

Van  Dyke.     . 

Counsel  upon  the  Reading  of  Books. 

Warner,  C.  D. 

Being  a  Boy. 

Warner,  Francis  Nervous  System  of  the  Child. 

White.     .     . 

Court  of  Boyville. 

Wiggin      .     . 

Children's  Rights. 

Wiltse       .     . 

Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning  Talks. 

WUtse       .     . 

Place  of  the  Story  in  Early  Education. 

Wray  .     .     . 

Jean  Mitchell's  School. 

O  Yonge      .     . 

Little  Lucy's  Wonderful  Globe. 

REFERENCE    BOOKS    FOR    SCHOOL    UBRA- 

RIES 

(Reference  Books  in  History  are  included  in  tlie  list  begin- 

ning  on  page  245.) 

Adams      .     . 

Text-Book  of  Commercial  Geography. 

Baldwin    . 

The  Book  Ix)ver. 

267 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


Bartlett     .     . 

Familiar  Quotations. 

Bigelow    .     . 

Punctuation. 

Brewer     .     . 

Dictionary  of  Phrase  and  Fable. 

Brewer      .     . 

Reader's  Handbook- 

Brookings  and 

Ringwalt 

Briefs  for  Debate. 

Browne     .     . 

Golden  Poems. 

Bulfinch    . 

Age  of  Chivalry. 

Bulfinch    . 

Age  of  Fable. 

Century  Dictionary  and  Cyclop)edia. 

Champlin   .    . 

Young  Folks'   Cyclopedia  of   Common 

Things. 

Champlin 

Young  Folks'  Cyclopedia  of  Literature 

and  Art. 

Champlin 

Young  Folks'  Cyclopedia  of  Persons  and 

Places. 

Clark  .     .     . 

A  Study  of  the  English  Prose  Writers. 

Clement    .     . 

Handbook  of  Legendary  and  Mj'thologi- 

calArt. 

Cody  (Ed.)     . 

The  Great  English  Poets.                      ^ 

Cody  (Ed.)     . 

The  World's  Greatest  Short  Stories. 

Cody  (Ed.)     . 

The  Best  English  Essays. 

Cody  (Ed.)     . 

The  World's  Great  Orations. 

Crabbe 

English  Synonymes. 

Cumnock 

School  Speaker. 

Dana  .     .     . 

How  to  Know  the  Ferns. 

o  Gayley      .     . 

Classic  Myths  in  English  Literature. 

Gayley  and 

Flaherty    . 

Poetry  of  the  People. 

Guerber    . 

Myths  of  Greece  and  Rome. 

Harper's  Dictionary  of  Classical  Ijiterature  and  Antiquities. 
Haydn       .     .     Dictionary  of  Dates. 
Hodge       .     .     Natiu-e  Study  and  Life. 
Hoyt   .     .     .     The  World's  Painters  and  their  Pictures. 
268 


APPENDIX 


Hyde  .     .     .     School  Speaker  and  Reader. 
Imperial  Atlas  of  the  World  (latest  edition). 
International  Encyclopedia. 
Kiepfert    .      .     Atlas  Antiquus. 
Lippincott      .     Biographical  Dictionary. 
I  jppincott      .     Gazetteer  of  the  World. 
Longmans      .     Atlas.    (Chisholm  and  Leete.) 
Lomisberry    .     A  Guide  to  the  Wild  Flowers. 
Lounsberry    .     A  Guide  to  the  Trees. 
MacCoun       .     Historical    Geography    of    the    United 
States. 

International  Geography. 

American  Lands  and  Letters. 

Golden  Treasury. 

Introduction  to  American  Literature. 

Introduction  to  English  Literature. 

History  of  English  Literature. 

Parliamentary  Rules. 

Familiar  Talks  on  English  Literature. 

Rules  of  Order. 

Thesaurus  of  English  Words. 

An  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Society. 


MiU     . 

Mitchell 

Palgrave 

Pancoast 

Pancoast 

Painter 

Reed   . 

Richardson 

Robert 

Roget  . 

Small-Vincent 

Standard  Dictionary. 

Statesman's  Year  Book. 

Webster    .  International  Dictionary. 

Webster    .     .     Imperial  Dictionary. 

Wendell    .     .     English  Composition. 

Wheeler    .     .     Dictionary  of  Noted  Names  of  Fiction. 

Wheeler    .     .     Familiar  Allusions. 

White  .     .     .     Money  and  Banking. 

Who's  Who  in  America  (latest  edition). 

Who's  Who  (English)  (latest  edition). 

Woodbum  American  Politics. 

World  Almanac. 

269 


CHILDREN'S  READiM 


A    REFERENCE    LIBRARY    FOR    SUNDAY 
SCHOOLS 


Abbott      .     . 
Andrews   . 
Banks 

Bartlett     .     . 
Bennett-Adeny 
Bowne 
Breasted  . 
Bridgman .     . 


Broadus    . 
Brown. 
Brumbaugh   . 
Burton 
Burton 
Burton  and 

Mathews    . 
Burton  and 

Mathews    . 
Burton  and 

Stevens 
Butler .     .     . 
Cadman    . 
Coe     .     .     . 
Coe     .     .     . 
Conybeare  and 

Howson 
Cragin 

Cressey    .     . 
Davis  . 
Davis  .     .     . 


Life  and  Times  of  Paul. 

Life  of  Christ. 

Hero  Tales  from  Sacred  Story, 

Apostolic  Age. 

Biblical  Introduction. 

The  Immanence  of  God. 

History  of  the  Egyptians. 

Steps  Christward. 

The  Ethical  Teaching  of  Jesus, 

Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

Sunday  School  Movements  in  America. 

The  Making  of  a  Teacher. 

Records  of  the  Apostolic  Age. 

Short  Introduction  to  the  Gospels. 

Principles  and  Ideals  in  the  Sunday  School. 

Constructive  Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ. 

A  Harmony  of  the  Gospels. 
How  to  Study  the  Life  of  Christ. 
Christ  in  the  Gospels. 
The  Religion  of  a  Mature  Mind. 
Education  in  Religion  and  Morals. 

Jjife  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul. 
Kindergarten  Stories  for  Sunday  School 

and  Home. 
The  Church  and  Young  Men. 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible. 
Outline  History  of  the  Life  of  Christ. 
270 


APPENDIX 


Dawson 

.     Life  of  Christ. 

Dods   . 

.     The  Bible:  Its  Origin  and  Nature. 

Dods   . 

.     The  Parables  of  Our  Lord. 

DuBois 

The  Natural  Way  in  Moral  Training. 

Du  Bois 

The  Point  of  Contact  in  Sunday  School 

Teaching. 

Edersheim 

.     Life  of  Christ. 

Edersheim 

In  the  Days  of  Christ:  Sketches  of  Jewish 

Social  Life. 

Falleylove 

and 

Kelman 

.     The  Holy  Land. 

Farrar 

.     Life  of  Christ. 

Farrar 

Messages  of  the  Books. 

Forbush 

.     Travel  Lessons  on  the  Old  Testament. 

(With  Stereoscope.) 

Forbush 

.     Travel  Lessons  on  the  Life  of  Jesus. 

(With  Stereoscope.) 

Forbush 

.     The  Boy  Problem. 

Forbush 

.     The  Boys'  Life  of  Christ. 

Foster 

.     Poetical  Illustrations  of  the  Bible,  Vol.  11. 

Fowler 

.     The  Prophets  as  Statesmen  and  Preachers. 

Geikie 

.     Hours  with  the  Bible. 

Gladden 

.     Applied  Christianity. 

Goodspeec 

.     History  of  the  Babylonians  and  Assyrians. 

("Historical  Series  for  Bible  Students.") 

Gore   . 

The  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

Gregory 

Seven  Laws  of  Teaching 

Hanus 

A  Modem  School. 

Harrison 

Some  Silent  Teachers. 

Harrison 

.     A  Study  of  Child  Nature. 

Haslett 

Pedagogical  Bible  School. 

Hastings 

.     Bible  Dictionary  (5  vols.). 

Haven 

Bible  Lessons  for  I^ittle  Beginners. 

Houghton 

.     Telling  Bible  Stories. 

271 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Houghton 

.    The  liif e  of  Christ  in  Picture  and  Story. 

Hunter 

.     After  the  Exile. 

Hyde  .     . 

.     Practical  Ethics. 

Inglis  .     . 

.     Bible  Text  Cyclopedia. 

Jttlicher    . 

.     Introduction  to  the  New  Testament. 

Kent   .     . 

.     History  of    the    Hebrew  People — The 

United  Kingdom.     ("  Historical  Series 

for  Bible  Students.") 

Kent   .     . 

.     History  of  the  Hebrew  People  —  The  Di- 

vided Kingdom.     ("Historical  Series 

for  Bible  Students.") 

Kent  .     . 

.    History  of   the  Jewish   People  —  Baby- 

lonian, Persian,  and   Greek    Periods. 

("Historical  Series  for  BibleStudents.") 

Kent  .     . 

.     Wise  Men  of  Ancient  Israel  and  their 

Proverbs. 

King  .     . 

.     Rational  Living. 

King  .     . 

.     Letters  to  a  Simday  School  Teacher. 

Lewin 

.     Fasti  Sacra. 

Longman 

.     The  Principles  of  Religious  Education. 

McCurdy 

.     History,  Prophecy,  and  the  Monmnents. 

McFadyen 

Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  the  Old 

Testament. 

McGiffert 

.     The  Apostolic  Age. 

MacCoun 

.     The  Holy  Tiand  in  Geography  and  His- 

tory (2  vols.). 

Mackie     . 

.     Bible  Manners  and  Customs. 

Mathews  . 

.     History   of   New  Testament  Times   in 

Palestine. 

Mathews  . 

.     The  Messianic  Hope  in  the  New  Testa- 

ment. 

Mathews  . 

.     The  Social  Teachings  of  Jesus. 

Mathewson 

.     Spiritual  Development  of  Paul. 

Mead  .     . 

.     Modem  Methods  m  Sunday  School  Work. 

272 

APPENDIX 


Menzie 
Moore 

Moiilton  . 
Moulton  . 
Ottley.  . 
Oxford  Bible 
Paton 
Peabody  . 
Peabody  . 
Peloubet  . 

Pinch  .     . 

Poet's  Bible. 
Price   . 
Purves 
Ramsay    . 

Ramsay    . 
Rhees  .     . 


Salmond 
Sanday 
Sanday 
Sanders 


Sanders 


.     History  of  Religion. 

The  New  Testament  in  the  Christian 

Church. 
Literary  Study  of  the  Bible. 
Books  of  the  Bible. 
The  Religion  of  Israel. 
Cyclopedia  Concordance. 
.     Early  History  of  Palestine  and  Syria. 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Question. 
.     Jesus  Christ  and  the  Christian  Character. 
.     The  Front  Line  of  the  Sunday  School 

Movement. 
.     The  Old  Testament  in  the  Light  of  His- 
torical Records. 

.     The  Monimients  and  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Apostolic  Age. 
St.  Paul,  the  Traveller  and  the  Roman 

Citizen. 
The  Church  in  the  Roman  Empire. 

.  The  Life  of  Jesus.  ("  Historical  Series  for 
Bible  Students.") 

.  History  of  the  Jewish  People  —  Macca- 
bean  and  Roman  Periods.  ("Histori- 
cal Series  for  Bible  Students.") 

.     Parables  of  Our  Lord. 

.     Sacred  Sites  of  the  Gosp»els. 

.     Outlines  of  the  Life  of  Christ. 

.  Outlines  of  the  Study  of  Biblical  History 
and  Literature  —  From  the  Earliest 
Times  to  the  Captivity. 

.     Outlines  for  the  Study  of  Biblical  His- 
tory and  Literature  —  From  the  Exile 
to  200  A.  D. 
273 


CHILDREN'S  READING 


Schaff 

.     Bible  Dictionary. 

Sheldon    . 

.     An  Ethical  Sunday  School. 

Smith .      . 

.     Sunday  School  Teaching. 

Smith  . 

.    Historical  Geography  of  the  Holy  T^and. 

Staffer 

.     Palestine  in  the  Time  of  Christ. 

Stalker 

.     .     The  Trial  and  Death  of  Jesus. 

Stanley 

.     History  of  the  Jewish  Church. 

Starbuck 

.     Psychology  of  Religion. 

Stevens 

.     The  Teaching  of  Jesus. 

Stewart 

.     The  Land  of  Israel. 

SuUy    . 

.     Studies  in  Childhood. 

Thomson 

.     The  Land  and  the  Book.    (New  Edition.) 

Tissot  (illi 

ist.)    The  Old  Testament.    (The  illustrations 

also  issued  in  a  set,  mounted  on  cards.) 

Torrey 

.     New  Topical  Text-Book. 

Trumbull 

.     Studies  in  Oriental  Social  Life. 

Trumbull 

Teaching  and  Teachers. 

Twentieth  Century  Bible. 

Vaughan 

.     The  Prayers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Wade.     . 

.     Old  Testament  History. 

Walker 

.     Comprehensive  Concordance. 

Walker 

.     Kings  of  Israel. 

Weiss. 

.    Manual  of    Introduction   to  the  New 

Testament. 

Wells  . 

.     Sunday  School  Success. 

Wendt     . 

.     The  Teaching  of  Jesus. 

Wood  and 

Hall   Adult  Bible  Qasses. 

Worcester 

On  Holy  Ground. 

MISSIONS 

Bacon 

.     Japanese  Girls  and  Women. 

Barnes 

.     Two  Thousand  Years  of  Missions  before 

Carey. 
Barrows  .     .     The  Christian  Conquest  of  Asia. 
274 


APPENDIX 


Beach 

.     Geography  and  Atlas  of  Protestant  Mis- 

sions (2  vols.). 

Beach 

.     The  Cross  in  the  Land  of  the  Trident. 

Beach      . 

-Dawn  on  the  Hills  of  T'Ang  :Missions  in 

China. 

Beach      . 

.     Princely  Men  of  the  Heavenly  Kingdom. 

Bishop 

.     Among  the  Thibetans. 

Bishop 

.     Korea  and  her  Neighbors. 

Blaikie     . 

Personal  Life  of  David  Livingstone. 

Bliss    .     . 

.     Concise  History  of  Missions. 

Brain  . 

Fifty  Missionary  Stories. 

Brain  . 

The  Transformation  of  Hawaii. 

Chalmers . 

Autobiography  and  Letters. 

Clark  .     . 

.     Leavening  the  Nation. 

Clarke 

.     A  Study  of  Chri.stian  Missioas. 

Clement    . 

.     Christianity  in  Modem  Japan. 

Creegan   . 

.     Great  Missionaries  of  the  Church. 

Curtis 

Modem  India. 

Dawson  . 

.     Life  of  James  Hannington. 

De  Forest 

.     Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom. 

Dennis 

.     Foreign  Missions  after  a  Century. 

Dennis 

Christian  Missions  and  Social  Progress 

(3  vols.). 

Ecumenical  Conference  Report  (2  vols.). 

Gracey 

China  in  Outline  (pamphlet). 

GriflSs 

.     Dux  Christus:   A  Study  of  Missions  in 

Japan. 

GriflSs       . 

.     The  Mikado's  Empire. 

Guernsey  . 

.     Under  our  Flag. 

GuUck      . 

.     The  Evolution  of  the  Japanese. 

Gulick      , 

.     The  Growth  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

Gulick      . 

.     The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East. 

Hamlin     . 

.     My  Life  and  Times. 

Hardy      . 

.     Life  (A  Ncesima. 

275 

CHILDREN'S  READING 


Hodgkins 

Via  Christi:  A  Study  of  Missions  before 

Carey. 

Hume 

.     Missions  from  the  Modern  View. 

Jones  . 

.     India's  Problem:  Krishna  or  Christ.  . 

Leonard 

A  Hundred  Years  of  Missions. 

McLean 

.     Handbook  of  Missions. 

Mason 

.     Lux  Christi:    A  Study  of  Missions  in 

India. 

Miner 

.     China's  Book  of  Martyrs. 

Miner 

.     Two  Heroes  of  Cathay. 

Morris 

At  our  Own  Door. 

Naylor 

.     Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent. 

Noble  . 

.     The  Redemption  of  Africa  (2  vols.). 

Page    .     . 

•     Life  of  Bishop  Patteson. 

Parsons 

.     Christus  liberator:  A  Study  of  Missions 

in  Africa. 

Paton  . 

.     .     The  Story  of  J.  G.  Paton. 

Peery  . 

.     .     The  Gist  of  Japan. 

Shelton 

.     Heroes  of  the  Cross  in  America. 

Smith 

.     Rex  Christus:  A  Study  of  Missions  in 

China. 

Smith  . 

.     Chinese  Characteristics. 

Smith  . 

.     Village  Life  in  China. 

Students  a 

nd  the  Modem  Missionary  Crusade  —  Report 

of  Nashville  Student  Volunteer  Con- 

vention. 

Taylor 

.     The  Price  of  Africa. 

Tyler  . 

,     ,     Forty  Years  among  the  Zulus. 

Warnedc 

.     Outline  of  the  History  of  Prostestant 

IViissions. 

Wells  . 

.     .     Unto  All  the  World. 

Weston 

.     China  in  Twelve  Lessons  (pamphlet). 

Zwemer 

.     The  Mohammedan  World  of  To-day. 

The  End 


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